Arena
by Mocking Verse
Summary: Forced together by their District, Cato and Cain have grown unseperable, the very definition of what a District Two tribute should be. Six years at the Academy has made them deadly killers. And now it's thier turn to go into the Games, and they may not come out. Cato/OC Fic. Sequel to Academy! Reading Academy first is highly recommended!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Thanks for clicking on 'Arena' the sequel to 'Academy' a Cato/OC fic. First, I would like to give MonkeysGoBoo credit for suggesting the title 'Arena' for this story. I completely fell in love with it immediately after I read the suggestion and it's a fantastic idea! And now, the first chapter of Arena! If you haven't I highly recommend you go read 'Academy' first before reading this story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the HG, Suzanne won't give it to me **

_Just like them old stars_

_I see that you've come so far_

_To be right where you are_

_How old is your soul? _

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_Jason Mraz, I Won't Give Up_

X….X….X….X…X…X…X…X

_Everyone in the room was silent as the doors opened, District Two's representative and victor, Brutus walked into the room. The events of the past few months had even weakened the strong male. His once fierce personality and fighting spirit had been muffled by the Games. _

_The gray haired lady at the head of the table stood up as he entered. "Brutus" she inclined her head towards him and he just narrowed his eyes at her. _

"_Let's get to business" he snapped as he gripped the back of a chair, choosing not to sit down. _

"_Of course, to be blunt, we would like to join you in your fight." Brutus stiffened. He knew this is what she would ask him, but he didn't trust her. Brutus didn't trust a lot of people. And he couldn't screw this up, it had to work, had to go according to plan. Brutus closed his eyes shut, but it just brought him images of the kids who he had watched grow up, who he had thought of as his own. He couldn't take seeing them. _

_It was too hard, even for him, for his District. _

X….X….X….X One Year Earlier X…X Cain's POV X…X

"Welcome to the Reaping of the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games!" the mayor of District Two yells and he is instantly responded too with whoops of excitement, people cry out in excitement. I even join in, clapping my hands and stomping my feet. I throw my fist in the air, letting out a cry along with the girls around me in the eighteen year old section. We bump shoulders, shove each other, get ourselves riled up.

My ears catch the sound of my Academy partner's whoop as he lets out a howl. I glance over quickly and smirk when I see him shove the boy beside him roughly. A glint in his eyes, excitement, thirst to fight. My heart feels like it jumps up just looking at him, Cato Harrison tends to have that effect on me. There's a reason why we branded each other's names onto the others forearms almost a year ago.

The cries start to die down as the Victors of District Two file onto the stage, followed precariously by our District escort – Vila Green – she's from the Capital, as all escorts are, and the older boys let out catcalls to make her uncomfortable. She already is though, she knows first-hand what we all can do to her. We've been trained to kill for the past six years. She goes up to the microphone and taps it repeatedly, the whole of District Two quiets down immediately.

"W-welcome, I-I have brought with me a v-video all the way from the Cap-Capital!" she tries to tell us.

"Can someone wring her fucking neck already, bitch can't even talk" I mutter and several girls around me snicker in agreement.

"I volunteer" A brunette a row back mumbles, I look back and smirk at her.

"Don't steal my line princess"

"Wouldn't dream of it." She laughs lowly and we just nod at each other as music starts to play and President Snow's voice fills the square before District Two's Justice Building.

_War, terrible war, widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen Districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came victory, newly fought, sorely won, a new people rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost, and when the traitors were defeated, we swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed, that each year, the various Districts of Panem, would offer up in Tribute, one young man and women, to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage, and sacrifice._

Several kids let out another howl _of_ agreement, others, including myself, have a grin almost breaking our faces into two.

_The lone Victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past, this, is how we safeguard our future. _

The stomping and whooping begins again as the video ends, people call for the Reaping to begin already, and Vila wobbles up to the microphone again. The District is silent again, and out of the corner of my eye, I see my partner shift his weight from one foot to the other, back and forth, waiting to volunteer. I should get ready myself, soon, very soon. "And n-now for the boys!" Vila says as she walks over to the reaping bowl, which is totally unnecessary here, and dips her hand in, picking up the first slip. "Har-"

"I volunteer!" Multiple boys shout out at once, rushing to the stage. I glance over and see Cato standing there, arms crossed over his chest, his muscles practically bulging from under his tight gray t-shirt. One corner of his mouth lifts up as he smirks, shaking his head at the boys volunteering. I barely notice him stand up a little straighter before he lets his voice be heard.

"I VOLUNTEER!" At hearing him the whole square falls silent, he doesn't even glance towards me as he shoves several boys away before making his way up the steps and onto the stage. Cato dwarfs Vila, towering over her small frame.

"W-what's your name?" she asks, craning her head up to look at him.

"Cato Harrison" he says, not even looking down at her.

"Congratulations" she says smoothly, before going over to the girls bowl. I wedge my foot into the spot between the two girls in front of me as her hand dips in. She snatches a paper and doesn't even open it before the volunteering starts. I go into action, turning my foot and bringing it back, causing the girl in front of me to fall on her face into the ground. I walk over her as I make my way to the front, shooting my hand up into the air.

"I volunteer!" I shout out, the girls who were fighting over the right of tribute stop, see that it's me, and sink back into the crowd. They know I go with Cato, everyone knows we go together. I take the stairs two at a time, getting up the stage and walk right past Vila –only telling her my name- and to Cato, who, following protocol takes my outstretched hand and shakes it, smiling at me. We turn and face our District as they cheer for us, our hands still together.

"District Two's tributes! Cain Halve and Cato Harrison!" the Mayor announces and the applause is ear shattering. Simultaneously Cato and I lift our intertwined hands at the same time. We are the symbol of District Two. We are picturesque.

We will fight to be Victors.

**Thanks much for reading! I'll update soonish, probably I'll just update like, every Wednesday or so. I love feedback too!**


	2. Chapter 2

**As much as I really should be working on that three page essay due in about fifteen hours, I decided to work on this because you guys are AMAZING! Thank you SO SO much for all your follows, favorites, and reviews! This chapter is in Cain's POV!**

_There's another world inside of me that you may never see_

_There's secrets in this life that I can't hide_

_Somewhere in this darkness there's a light that I can't find_

_Or maybe it's too far away, or maybe I'm just blind_

_So hold me when I'm here_

_Rob me when I'm wrong_

_Hold me when I'm scared_

_And love me when I'm gone. _

_When I'm Gone-3 Doors Down_

X…X…..X…..X…..X….X….X….X….X…..X….X…X

I don't expect any visitors, and why should I? My whole life basically revolves around Cato. So all I had planned to do was to sit in the room for a few minutes, while Cato said goodbye to his family, and then I'd go off to the train.

So I'm surprised when the door opens and Terra and Balik come running in. They wrap their small arms around me and I automatically hug them. In the past few years that I've gone with Cato to his family's house for the weekend I've bonded with his two younger siblings. Terra is just starting her first year at Academy, but Balik still lives at home; Terra is the first to pull away.

"You're coming home" she says, it's not a question, she's just making sure. I nod.

"Yes, that's the plan" I snort, "If not both of us then at least your brother." Terra nods curtly back.

"He'll take care of you."

"I know that. When we get back, you two can live with us, you won't need to go through the rest of your training if Cato's a Victor."

"Thank you" she bites her lower lip and my eyes drift to her ribcage.

"How's the rib?" I ask. During her first week she had her first fight in the Pit –the training ring at Academy- and of all people they put her up against Cato. He didn't want to, but they were forced to fight each other. He missed her intentionally the first few blows, but then she was too slow and he landed a punch to her chest, breaking one of her ribs and causing severe bruising on her back. That night was the first time I'd ever seen Cato cry, it's a sight that I never want to see again. Terra looks down and pokes at her ribs.

"Getting there." she shrugs and I look down when Balik pulls on my shirt.

"You're coming back, right?" he asks and I ruffle his blonde hair.

"I should." Is all I can tell him, "You just remember that I'll be thinking of ya, okay?"

"Okay." He nods shortly, the door behind him is flung open and peacekeepers walk into the room. The two kids latch onto me quickly again before letting go and leaving the room, they should be going to see Cato now. I walk over and grip the windowsill in my hands, looking out over the stone quarry.

I stiffen when I hear the door open again, but I don't turn around.

"You've grown." Is all he says, I'm surprised I still recognize his voice, after he changed so dramatically following the execution of our parents. I recognize my brother Brian's voice. My hands grip the sill tighter until my knuckles turn white.

"Why are you here!" I growl out between clenched teeth.

"I came to say goodbye to my sister. I didn't know you were volunteering." I hear him sit down on the couch in the middle of the room. I refuse to turn and look at him though.

"I'm sorry you were not made aware, I'll be sure to inform you next time" I sneer sarcastically.

"You haven't changed a bit" he laughs mirthlessly, "Except for your relationship with Cato. What's happened there?" I twist my arm back so that he can read my forearm.

"It's pretty self-explanatory." I snort at him.

"Mum and Dad would be ashamed, you spending your life with _him_; he's not from our part of Two." Brain spits out.

"Mum and Dad are dead" I sneer, "So their opinion isn't really valid, and neither is yours."

"I'm your brother, your own blood." He whispers harshly, he stands up from the couch, pacing the length of the room.

"You're not my brother; you stopped being my brother a long time ago." In answer, all I hear is the door opening before he says one last thing to me.

"You'll always be my sister, whether you like it or not Cain." The door slams after that, and it's only a few moments before peacekeepers come into the room and surround me, one on my right, one on my left. They escort me from the room, where we meet up with Cato and the peacekeepers form a box formation around us. When I reach him Cato pulls me towards him quickly and steals a kiss before we have to start walking.

"My parents wish you the best." He whispers, I nod.

"Balik and Terra came to see me, Brian did too." Cato stiffens at Brian's name.

"Bastard" he curses under his breath.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too."

The doors to the Justice Building open before us and we walk out into the street, our peacekeepers that guard us staying near us the whole time. We'll be walking to the train station from here. Cato and I don't touch each other as we walk, Cato a few paces ahead of me. I keep my head held high, a smirk playing on my face as people snap pictures; District Two citizens clap and yell to us. Academy students line the front of the tunnel of people we're walking through, a free path leading to the loading platform. I hear people shout my name and I just glance in their direction, but one voice sticks out.

"Pathetic girl" a boy scoffs as I go by, I react before I think. I turn on my heel and my hand finds his throat in only a fraction of a second, before the peacekeepers can react.

"Who are you calling pathetic you shitty little bastard!" I yell in his face as cameras go off wildly around us. The roar of the crowd soars. I feel a peacekeeper pulling at my other arm, but I stay where I am.

"Miss Halve! Get off of him!" somebody yells.

"You moron, you don't talk 'bout me that way or I'll personally find you and skin you live when I get back!" My upper lip comes up into a snarl.

"Cain!" I hear Cato call out, apparently having turned around and seen me, "Let it go." So I do let it go, just after punch the boy in the temple, hard. He falls to the ground as I shove him away and turn on my heel; he lands with a satisfying heap on the road. Unconscious. I hold my chin up as I walk briskly to the platform, walking strait past Cato, who grins at me before following me. We stop at the top of the platform before the train, standing tall and turning to face the crowd, letting them get a few last pictures.

Cato's arm brings me to his side before his arm goes around my shoulders. Flashes go off and he dips his head, pressing his lips briefly to my temple before he looks back to the cameras. I hear the door to the train open and turn around, grabbing Cato's hand before stepping into the luxurious car, the metal door sliding silently shut behind us.

**Short, I know, but I wanted to get something up for you guys! I don't know when I'll update next, but I promise it'll be a long chapter, at least three thousand words. **

**Centerstagex11: **Thanks for reviewing! And thank you!

**RueEvergreen: **Okay, so I totally had like, a mini freak out when I saw you reviewed, as always. But yes, THANK YOU I LOVE HOW YOU ALWAYS DO CAPS!

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	3. Chapter 3

**Wow. Thank you to EVERYONE who's favorited, followed, and reviewed for this story! I think y'all will like this chapter, you get to see who else got reaped in other Districts! **

**Disclaimer: For now, I don't own the Hunger Games, I'm working on it though ;) **

_We are young, we are young_

_We drink and we fight and we love just because_

_We are numb, we're on the run_

_And you're never gonna chase us down, we are young  
Dance with the devil, don't be shy_

_Nothing's gonna stop us, we can't die_

_We Are Young - 3OH3_

* * *

"Cato! Cain!" Brutus's voice boom through the train. I roll over and look at Cato, who's asleep at my side, I move my hand and softly touch his hip, where I know he won't jolt awake.

"Cato" I whisper to him, "Time to get up." I shake him softly and his eyes open.

"Huh?"

"Reaping recap." I say as I brush the hair out of his face quickly before swinging my legs out of bed and stretching my arms out. We aren't supposed to share a room, but we are anyways, besides, we only took a nap. I roll my neck and I feel Cato take my hand in his.

"Come on." He yawns and starts for the door, I follow at his side. We walk to the main car of the train, where we find Brutus and Enobaria sitting on a couch before the television. Enobaria grins at us, the tips of her teeth glinting from the gold implants as Brutus just nods towards the screen.

"Take a seat; I want you to tell me how you would take down each tribute as they're reaped." Brutus doesn't even look at us when he speaks, we just sit side by side on the brown leather couch.

I look to the screen and see Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman on screen. Every year Caesar has a color scheme, and apparently this year he's chosen yellow. "He looks like someone pissed on his head." Cato whispers and I bark out a laugh. Enobaria glares at us and I sneer at her. She just bares her teeth at me in warning.

"Well Caesar, I think we should begin our Reaping Recap!" Claudius claps his hands together.

"Of course! And remember folks, we start with District One and go in order to Twelve." Caesar's strong Capital accent annoys me and reminds me of Vila and I glance around the room for her. She gives me a small wave, which I ignore, when I spot her in the back corner of the room. When I look back to the screen I recognize the square of District One. It shows their escort go on stage and draw a name out, we don't get to hear the name before a boy volunteers.

I feel my eyebrows rise at the tall lanky brunette that takes the stage, a cocky smile plastered on his face. The screen pauses and we look over to Brutus. "How do you kill him?" he asks. I study the boy aloud.

"His arms are long, but not very muscular, so he probably throws spears."

"Killing him would either be long range when he's not expecting it-"

"Or close range in hand to hand combat" I finish Cato's sentence for him.

"Good." Brutus plays the recap again, satisfied with our answers. The boy introduces himself as Marvel; I don't take note of his last name. The escort picks the girl next, who is also overtaken by a volunteer. I hold back laughter as a tall blonde girl literally _saunters _onto the stage. Brutus pauses the recap and looks to us.

"Break her nail and then stab her in the back while she has a meltdown over it." I roll my eyes at my own response while Cato laughs. Brutus even cracks a smile.

"Close combat." Cato says while still laughing. Brutus nods and we continue to watch. We watch our own reaping, Cato grinning like an idiot the whole time. The only interesting commentary during ours is near the end.

"Claudius we might have something going on here between these two tributes, their hands stay interlocked, and I heard they were giving each other more affection later on." Caesar commentates.

"We'll have to go over that later, we even have tape of it Caesar!"

Afterwards it goes to District Three, in which for both tributes Cato and I only say one word. Bloodbath.

The rest of the reapings aren't very exciting, District Four didn't come out with any tributes Cato and I want to take into our alliance this year, and the boy is even twelve years old. Cato had a riot making fun of his curly mound of hair though.

But when Brutus pauses the show after the reaping of District Eleven's male tribute; neither Cato nor I know what to say. The boy, Thresh, is huge, only slightly smaller than Cato. I finally just speak up.

"Watch him in training, then decide later."

"We'll offer him a spot in the alliance, just to keep him close."

"If he doesn't accept, we can go for him during the bloodbath." Brutus nods and plays the reaping of the girl in Eleven, he doesn't even pause the show for the girl. She looks weak and she's twelve years old, he knows that even I could snap her neck in a second.

District Twelve comes up next, their flamboyant escort coming up on stage and announcing that the ladies will be picked first. I sit back into Cato's chest as she walks towards the microphone and reads off the name.

"Primrose Everdeen!" Cato snorts at the name and then goes silent as a twelve year old girl starts walking towards the stage.

"No! Prim!" the sound of an older girl is heard and the camera pans over to the group of citizens in the back of the square. An older girl breaks out from the crowd and falls to her knees. "Prim!" she cries out. I notice the resemblance between the two girls, they must be sisters. The older girl must be nineteen years old, she looks like she'd volunteer if she could.

Once an older boy comes and drags the older girl off her knees and out of the way Twelve's escort goes and picks the boy. Everyone in the car lets out a laugh when 'Peeta Mellark' is called to the stage. I narrow my eyes as the clearly terrified blonde boy comes to the stage. I'm even surprised when Brutus pauses the program. Cato and I are silent.

"Close quarters wouldn't work." Is the first thing I say after a few moments.

"Might for me."

"No, look at his arms, he knows how to use them and clearly he's bulky, did you watch the way he walked?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Close quarters wouldn't work." I repeat myself as I cut him off. "He may not be very coordinated, but if he's got a knife in his hand he just needs to throw his fist in the right direction."

"True, sooo" Cato trails off as we continue to study him, our mentors watching our audible debate on how we would kill Peeta Mellark.

"Distance." I mull over the ways in my head as I say it.

"Spear to the chest may work; you probably wouldn't even need to be undercover."

"You'd have a better chance than me at him." I say and Cato nods, Brutus makes a satisfied sound and shuts off the recap.

"We arrive in a few hours; from there you go to your prep teams to be prepared for the opening ceremonies. Eat something; try to get a nap in if you want. I'll holler when we're about to pull in." he dismisses us and Cato and I stand up, leaving Brutus and Enobaria alone as we make our way to the dining car.

Once we arrive we sit across from each other at the table. Cato nods at an avox, who turns to go fetch us some food. I rest my elbows on the table and let out a sigh, glancing out the window at the changing landscape.

"I had an idea this morning." Cato says after a few minutes of silence.

"Hm." I say, still looking out the window.

"For our tokens." I look at him now as he reaches behind his neck to unclasp his dog tag. He gets them undone and gently places them in front of me. I pick it up in my hand, my thumb gliding over the smooth steel and the engraving of Cato's name, birthday, and a short description. "I want you to wear it, in the arena." He says as I continue looking at it. I just nod my head, placing his down and unclasping my own from my neck.

"Then you wear mine." I say, placing the dog tag in his open palm.

"I will." He smirks at me as I put his own around my neck. We both look up as the avox returns, placing two big bowls of some sort of soup before Cato and I. We both start eating right away, not having been allowed to eat this morning. Some weird rule that they think we may get too worked up and barf on stage.

"That little girl reminded me of Terra." I say between mouthfuls of the rich onion soup.

"My sister isn't black." Cato rolls his eyes.

"No kidding, I meant rat from Twelve."

"My sister doesn't look like a rat." A piece of whatever is in the soup falls out of his mouth when he talks and I cringe, he snickers, knowing how I've always hated when he talks with his mouth full.

"She's blonde though. Blue eyes." I point out, "and twelve years old."

"Well aren't you just a little smarty-pants." Cato makes a face, "Bitch." He mumbles as I laugh.

"I just know how to use that thing in my head, a brain." Cato just rolls his eyes again.

* * *

"You are not!" I scream at my stern looking prep team, "You do not need to shave me down there."

"Oh but we do." The little chubby blue guy, Pepter I think his name was, says.

"Says the man with blue skin." I retort back, moving away from Yiera, a tall lady with bright yellow hair, as she tries to move towards me. I've been with my prep team for two hours, and I don't even know who my stylist is yet. They've already washed me down twice, seen me completely naked for the past hour and a half, and removed almost every single piece of body hair from my body, except between my legs, which is the current topic of argument.

"Honey, we would've been done with it by now." Brandy, a young woman, who must be in her early thirties, with bright pink tattoos covering her body, tells me.

"No one is going to see down there anyways!"

"You never know." Pepter clicks his tongue at me.

"NO!"

Five minutes later, I'm strapped to the table while they do it 'the hard way'.

"Ready, one, two-" there's a loud ripping noise as my world seems to go white with pain.

"Ahh! Fucking shit you people are goddamn assholes!" I growl at my prep team, who all stand with satisfied looks on their faces. "I'm gunna snap your puny little necks in half!"

"I think it's time to bring in Megara." Brandy claps her hands and they leave me alone, still strapped to the damn table. Butt. Naked.

* * *

"And open your eyes." Megara's smooth voice tells me and I listen to her. The girl in the mirror doesn't really look like me. The person in the mirror wears a simple white dress, draped over and low cut, a split over the left leg so that I can walk. The dress hangs off of one shoulder; a gold ivory belt around my waist keeps the dress on. My green eyes pop out, gray smoke appears to be around them. I turn to the side, the dress revealing my back, which, with the help of tons of makeup, looks to be fresh and not covered in the scars that I know are there. A part of the dress goes down from my shoulder, across my chest to just hook at the hip, where as it flows downwards. "Just a few more things." Megara smiles at me and I allow my mouth to twitch.

She's actually not crazy; her hair is black, with streaks of red and she just wears a simple gray dress. She hands me a golden band and instructs me to put in on my upper arm. I do as she told me as she places a golden crown of ivory branches on top of my head. She left my hair down, which seems to be an even more brilliant black than it was before.

"Hand me your arm" Megara tells me and I do, she takes out a wet rag and begins to rub my forearm, the makeup that is covering Cato's branded into my arm comes off so that his name is visible. "We want to see that." I grin at her before she walks off and brings over my shoes. Simple flat brown sandals. "You look stunning; we should go meet Cato now." I nod at her and we leave the room, going towards the elevator and down into the where the chariots are held before the Parade.

When the doors open for us downstairs I immediately start to look at the other tributes gathered already. Districts Three, Five, Six, Seven, Ten, and Nine seem to already be down here. Along with the boy from Twelve. My gaze lingers on him and he must feel me watching him, because he looks over and his eyes lock with mine. I don't look away; making sure he sees my eyes travel down and then up him, studying him. When our eyes lock again I see him swallow, I smirk at him before looking away.

"Cato." I greet him when I see him leaning against our chariot. A grin breaks out onto his face when he sees me and begins his way over. I can feel everyone's eyes on us.

"Well, well." He says shaking his head. "I didn't think you could get more beautiful." His head dips down and his lips meet mine, it's a short kiss and my hand automatically goes to rest on his bare chest while it happens.

Once we pull away I look him over. "I like your outfit." _Or lack thereof. _Cato smirks. He wears golden armor over his shoulders and armored shorts, but that's it. His sculpted chest is on display for everyone, which only bugs me a little. He holds out his forearm and I see my name is still uncovered.

"Yours too" I say showing him my arm.

"Everyone else is here now." Cato tells me, I turn around to see he's right. Marvel and his partner are at their chariot, the latter looks at Cato. The polar opposites of District Eleven are also here. The boy does seem to be just a little bit smaller than Cato. The girl from Twelve is also here, dressed in a dress that starts out red at the top, then fades to orange by the bottom.

I feel Cato's hand take mine and I turn to him, he motions with his head back to the chariot and I nod, letting him help me up after he gets in himself. Brutus comes over to us and clears his throat so we look at him.

"You're on top make them know that." He says simply, we just nod.

The doors open and the tributes from District One go out first, dressed in way too much purple and feathers. And then our chariot is moving. Cato's arm sneaks around my waist as he brings me closer, fitting me perfectly into his side. At first I'm blinded, by all of the lights, but then I hear their cheers.

All I can hear is the uproar of Capital citizens as they cheer for us. Cato and I just look over them. _We are over them. We are more important than they are. _I let myself wave a few times as does Cato. I risk a glance at Cato and find he's already looking down at me, the reaction of the citizens when our gazes lock is immediate. They cheer louder, shouts of 'District Two!' fill the air and Cato smirks at me before pulling me closer to kiss me passionately. The sound of the crowd is deafening. One hand goes to the back of Cato's neck as the other goes on his chest. His hand rests on my hip while the other goes through my hair before he pulls away, he smiles at me, a smile that I return. Because we both know, we just secured ourselves hundreds of sponsors.

**Look at that long chapter! Loved writing it! Also, Cato is bigger than Thresh in this fic because he's done more training than he probably had in The Hunger Games. **

**RueEvergreen: **you never fail to impress me with how long a review you can write..i'm just..speechless..thank you.

**KTstoriesandstuff: **haha yes!

**BooBerry301: **It's okay! I like, never review myself on stories..i should…oh well, thanks!

**RosiePosie465: **Wow, thank you so much! That means a lot to me!


	4. Chapter 4

_You and me  
We're in this together now  
None of them can stop us now  
We will make it through somehow  
You and me_

_We're in This Together-Nine Inch Nails_

* * *

I wake up next to Cato in his room. His warm breath falls steadily onto my neck; it makes goose bumps appear now that I'm awake. From the steadiness of his breathing I can tell he's still asleep. Even in his sleep, his arms are locked around me in an iron grip; protecting me, not letting me leave his side. I don't mind at all.

I move my head up and press my lips to his neck. He doesn't react as I trail my mouth up his neck to his jawline. His arms tighten even more and he growls softly when he wakes up. I place my hands on his bare chest as he moves me so I'm on top of him, my weight sitting down on him, my hair falling over his face. I press a lingering kiss just below his ear and Cato's head lolls back into the pillow more as he lets out a moan.

"We need to get up." I tell him as I roll off of him. He huffs a protest and his hand grabs my wrist, pulling me towards him so that my lips meet his forcefully before he backs off and agrees.

We walk into the dining room to find Brutus and Enobaria already eating. Cato and I take our seats and no one says anything as avoxes place food in front of us.

"Don't get into a fight today." Brutus says after a bit.

"If they deserve a fist to the face, then they'll get that." I say calmly.

"Then I'll beat you myself afterwards." Brutus growls out and the feeble attempt at discussion is stopped. Cato and I finish our breakfast and wait until we are dismissed to go change. I go to my own room to change, finding the training outfit already laid out for me. Loosely fitted black pants with a strip of silver outlined by red running down the outside of the legs. A fitted black shirt, the pattern that runs down the legs of the pants copied onto the shoulders, where a black square with a silver two is also shown. The top of the shirt has a zipper, which I leave undone after pulling on. The shirt also has an upturned collar, which I guess is just for appearance.

I swing my arms back and forth in the outfit, finding that I have full range of motion in it, as I would if I didn't have any clothes on at all. Our uniforms back at Academy could be altered to prevent certain ranges of motion, forcing you to work on certain muscle groups, now; we have full use of our bodies. I slip on the flexible black sneakers before going out in the hallway.

Cato stands smirking in the hallway, swinging his huge arms back and forth. He always had a restricted shirt, making it hard for him to move his arms all the way back without resistance. "This is gunna be fun." He smirks at me. I walk up to him and his hand cups my face as his thumb traces over the scar that runs down the side of my face. "I love it when it's not covered." He tells me.

"I know you do." I pull his hand away. This will be the first time the other tributes will see the scar. Before the Reapings I had covered it up, we wanted a good first impression, then again it was covered for the Parade. "Come on." I tell him, and when we are near the elevator, Brutus stands outside them.

"Ready?" he asks and we nod at him. Our little party is silent until the doors to the elevator close and Brutus presses the button to go to the training room. "Try to look out for each other a bit, watch the other tributes. If you think that the usual alliance wouldn't be a good idea this year, don't let them join." The doors open and I feel Brutus's hand on my back as he pushes me forward slightly while he stays inside. "Go with your gut feeling." Is his final advice before we both start down the hallway to the room.

We're one of the last districts to arrive; District Twelve and Eight the only other ones not yet present. It's our first real look at the tributes as they really are. No makeup, no fancy costumes, no fake shit to hide their fear.

"Gather round tributes!" the head trainer calls to us as District Eight appears behind us. I follow Cato and take the chance to survey the room. Dummies line one side of the room, a table overflowing with weapons beside them. In another corner an obstacle course, platforms of different heights all in a 'U' shape. I nudge Cato and he looks down at me with questioning eyes. I jerk my head towards the course and he looks back at me, his eyes showing amusement. He remembers when we were strapped together and had to go through one just like that.

"In hell I'd catch you." Cato whispers in my ear and I bark out a laugh, drawing everyone's attention to us. I turn my head as we stop at our places in the semi-circle and look at the others starring at us. My eyes lock with the tribute right across from me. A blonde haired, blue eyed boy from District Twelve. I can't remember his name though as he tries to hold my gaze. I smirk at him and raise an eyebrow, my head tilting up slightly. I see him swallow and avert his gaze.

Pathetic.

"No fighting with the other tributes, they're volunteers here for that." I look to the head trainer as she talks. "You'll have the morning to do as you please, but after lunch we'll be going through agility exercises. You have four hours till lunch." Her last sentence has a sense of finality to it and she nods us away. I feel Cato grab my hand and squeeze it before letting go. I turn and make eye contact with him as he walks off to the weapons. I nod to him before going over to the spear station, where the boy from District One now stands, examining spears.

"District One." I greet with a nod as I stand beside him and lift up a lighter spear.

"Hey Two," the boy turns to me with his hand outstretched, "Marvel." He tells me his name and I shake his hand.

"Cain." I grin slightly at him, "You know how to throw that thing?" I mock him and he chuckles at me. In response he turns and effortlessly throws the spear, skewing the dummy right through the stomach.

"Can you throw that thing?" he counters back, his eyebrows raised at the spear in my hand. I turn and cock my arm back, and then throw. It flies through the air and sticks, just inches away from Marvel's spear. It's not a fatal shot like his, but it's close enough, and shows I can throw. "Guess you can gorgeous."

"Shut up Marv." I roll my eyes at him, "I'm taken."

"I've noticed." I snort while he laughs and I look over his shoulder and see Cato talking to Marvel's District partner, Glitter I think her name was. My eyes narrow slightly as she walks closer to him, placing her hand on his arm while she says something to him and Cato grins. "Glimmer hasn't though."

"Glimmer?"

Marvel shrugs, "She's my District partner."

"Fucked up name though."

"Yeah." I start walking away from Marvel without another word towards the knife throwing station. I can feel Marvel and other tributes watching me. I look over and see Cato making his way over to me, a smug grin on his face. I don't stop and continue to the knives, picking one up and running the flat of the blade over my open hand.

"Everyone's watching you." Cato whispers by my ear.

"Good." I say indifferently before taking three other knives, tuck two into the waistband of my pants, and stand in front of the throwing station. I look over to the trainer and nod. He presses a button and I hear the floor start to shift before me and I bounce on the balls of my feet in anticipation. I haven't thrown in _two days._

Dummies rise up from the ground and I flip the knife over in my right hand so I'm holding the blade. A dummy to my left lights up with a target on its chest and I react before I even think, the knife flying through the air, and just half a second after the target has lit up, a blade it perfectly through the middle. Another dummy lights up and I throw left handed at it. Bulls eye.

Another. A quick swipe of my right hand to my left hip, grabbing the blade, and then it's a fatal mark. The last dummy lights up directly in front of me and I swipe the knife from my side, going underhand, I only take one step forwards and release the knife. Bulls eye.

I stand with my arms hanging down by my sides, taking deep breaths in. A few seconds later I notice the whole room has gone silent. I don't look at anyone as I walk forwards and take the knives out of the dummies, holding three in one hand and tossing the other one up in the air lightly before catching it again.

So far, I've had a pretty good morning.

* * *

I sit next to Cato during lunch. Marvel and Glimmer also sitting with us. As soon as I put my tray down on the table and sit down Cato wraps his arm around my shoulders and puts his face in my hair to whisper in my ear. "You look great." He whispers and I grin. Glimmer scowls at me as I turn and kiss Cato quickly.

"Same to you." I say before we both start to eat. Our table is silent before Marvel lifts his fork and motions between the two of us.

"So are you two," he shrugs, "Whatever they call being together in District Two."

"Dating?" I ask staring at him like he's an idiot.

"Yeah, I thought they might call it something different in two, but I guess," Everyone at our table just stares at him, "You know what, I'm gunna shut up now."

"That's a good idea." Cato agrees with him. "And yeah."

"How long?" Glimmer asks intrigued. I look at Cato as my eyebrows come together.

"Two? Three years?" I ask.

"We've known each other for about seven, became partners six years ago." He thinks aloud, "Four years ago was the last time you tried to kill me."

"No- that was two years ago, remember I called you a dick, then you called me a flaming bitch, I dared you to call me that again, you did, and then I threw the knife at your head." I say completely calm while Marvel's eyes bug out of his head.

"You missed?" he asks incredulously. I wave my hand dismissively at him.

"I wasn't really trying and he knows me well, kid as good reflexes. That's another story though."

"We did the branding, when? A year ago?" Cato asks.

"Somewhere between one and two."

"So then it's been about two and a half years dating." Cato figures it out and I nod. Glimmer just looks disappointed.

"What's branding?" Marvel asks us. In answer I shift my forearm so he can see Cato's name. "Ugh I thought that was make up last night!" he says as he reaches out and rubs his fingers over it, seeing it is, in fact, a part of my skin.

"Nope, permanent." I shrug and Cato shows his forearm.

"It's a ritual for those in District Two, most people usually don't do it though, since they don't like the idea of running a hot knife blade on your skin."

"I wonder why they don't like the idea." Marvel says sarcastically. Everybody laughs but me. "You know Cain, I'm going to get you laugh, before either of us die in the arena."

"You wanna bet on that?" I ask him.

"Yes, if I win, then I get to give you a hug." I make a fake choking noise.

"Fine, but if I win, then you'll be dead." Cato snorts and Marvel and I shake hands.

* * *

After lunch the head trainer has us line up according to District number in front of the agility course.

"This is the Gauntlet. As you can see, it consists of rising platforms, you must get through in the fastest time possible to the finish. Trainers will be swinging padded clubs at you while you go through though. Speed and agility are tested during this. The gamemakers are watching, try and remember that."

Marvel goes first, leaping from one platform to another. He has a lanky body, and isn't very coordinated or graceful. In the end he ends up with only one hit, barely avoiding two others. Glimmer goes after him, getting hit twice herself, on her second hit she gets completely laid out, just grabbing onto the edge of the platform to pull herself back up.

I squeeze Cato's arm as he goes up to the start for luck and he flexes his arm for a split second, giving recognition that he knows what I'm saying before I let go.

"Go." The trainer tells him and starts the stopwatch as he bounds forward, not wasting any time on flat ground and ending up on the first platform strait away. Cato takes a running step before jumping up effortlessly to the next platform, where he swings his back leg out so he's facing sideways to avoid a club before continuing.

Cato finishes with other one hit right at the end.

I step up, nodding at the training. "Go." She tells me curtly and I take off. Cato used most strength to get through while I can use speed. I make the assent up to a main platform up easily, ducking and dodging as trainers swing clubs at my ankles, my head. It's only on the third to last platform where I see a problem. There are two trainers on the side of the last platform. You can't see the second from where the line is and now I understand how Cato got hit.

I don't even think before I act. There isn't any trainer at the second to last platform, so I go on that easily before making sure my foot lands on the edge before taking off. I leap up and spread myself out in the air, completely skipping the last platform. I fly over the trainers, making it impossible for them to reach me, and at the last second before hitting the solid ground of the training floor, I curl into a ball and roll when I hit the ground, lessening the force of impact.

"Cain Halve, no hits." A trainer calls up to the gamemakers and I look to see them nodding their heads.

I stand with my alliance as we watch the other tributes go through, Cato's arms draped over my shoulders, my back on his chest. We all burst out laughing when the boy from District Five completely miss judges a jump after dodging a club, which sends him tumbling down ten feet to the floor. He does something to his ankle, even though he landed on padding, and had to be brought to medical, but I can't find myself to care about it. No one matches my no hit record, until the little girl from District Eleven, Rue they call her, is announced to have no hits. We weren't really paying attention to her, so when they said no hit, our heads all snapped over to her as she made her way back over to her goliath of a partner.

I watch closely as the boy from Twelve goes through, he almost misses a platform on the way up, and on the way down, just uses brute force and momentum to barrel down the rest of it. At the end, he remarkably doesn't get any hits as well.

"Peeta Mellark, no hits." The trainer calls out.

"That's bull!" Cato growls behind me. I look up at him with narrowed eyes.

"What? That he was more tactical than you? He used his head, calm down." Within seconds Cato has a rough hand on my shoulder and the other poised to punch me.

"What!" he bellows, drawing attention to us.

"Rat used his brain and you didn't!" I snap, cocking my head at him. "Go ahead, just _try to hit me._" I challenge, and try he does. A punch is thrown directed at my face and I duck down, ignore the pain that shoots through my shoulder as he tries to keep me from going in his grasp, and get a kick into his stomach. Cato staggers back a bit as shouts rise up and peacekeepers come running in.

"Break it up!" Someone yells.

"You arrogant bastard!" I spit out at Cato as someone grabs me from behind and pins my arms behind my back. "This isn't Academy anymore!"

"I fucking know that bitch!" Cato sneers back as peacekeepers begin to shove him towards the door, eventually he does go, I'm left fuming, and a few seconds later a loud frustrated scream from Cato can be heard followed by a very loud crashing noise.

I glance back at whoever is holding me and see the boy from Eleven. "Let go of me." I growl as I break out of his hold. I stand back with Marvel and Glimmer, who now keep their distance and watch the little girl form Twelve go through.

Even when she falls off the platform, I can't bring myself to laugh.

**Excitement! Whoot whoot! **

**Centerstagex11: **haha it's okay! Thank you so much!

**RueEvergreen: **I was getting a little worried when you didn't review instantly like usual ahhaha. I was like, Rue? And yes I forgot to say, I did get and read Insurgent and I LOVED IT! AHHH TOBIAS! *fangirl here*

**RosiePosie465: **Thank you so much! And just wow, with the whole college writing compliment thank you so much! I'm actually thinking of minoring in creative writing or something like that. I really want to get into training thoroughbred race horses, but hey, I could write on the sideXD

**Ktstoriesandstuff: **thanks!

**Lexa Snow: **thank you!

**DreamersChance: **I'm glad you liked Academy! Haha thank you so much for reviewing!

**Also, everyone should watch the Breeders Cup! ROOT FOR JOE TALAMO AND MIKE SMITH CAUSE THEY'RE UTTERLY AWESOME!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Just a head's up, this chapter is in many different POV's and third person. **

_You're not alone_

_I will stand by you_

_I will help you through_

_When you've done all you can do_

_And you can't cope_

_I will dry your eyes_

_I will fight your fight_

_I will hold you tight_

_And I Won't Let Go._

_I Won't Let Go-Rascal Flatts. _

"Where's Cain?!" Cato demanded after checking all the rooms on District Two's floor of the training center. Brutus just shrugged at him.

"She came by about three hours ago, haven't seen her since." Enobaria said while stuffing her mouth at the dinner table. Cato lets out a low growl before turning and going to the elevator. Cato himself had been back since training ended four hours ago. He had just figured Cain was venting in her room, she hadn't stayed to train more, because that's what he had done. He had gone out to find her so they could talk about their fight earlier, because really, his biggest fear right now was that one of them might die being pissed at the other.

He had panicked when he couldn't find her anywhere.

Cato slams his fist onto the button for the lobby of the training center. Maybe she's down there, she has to be. It's forbidden to leave the training center unattended by your mentor.

When he comes out of the elevator nobody really notices. They're not that many to notice anyways, other tributes and their teams are eating dinner, like Cato and Cain should be doing. Cato glances around the room, scanning every person. A few Capital people linger, talking to one another. Some gamemakers are around as well.

Cato feels a hand on his shoulder and whirls around. "Cato my friend, how what're you doing down here at this hour?" Cato raises his eyebrows at the apparently drunk Seneca Crane. "Shouldn't you be eating dinner?" _Shouldn't you not be drunk right now? _Cato thinks to himself but manages a fake chuckle.

"Just looking around sir." He lies, if he said he can't find his district partner then everyone would be looking for her.

Seneca gestures grandly to nothing in particular. "Well look around my boy!" He slaps Cato no the back and Cato has to clench his teeth together. The gamemaker saunters off and Cato makes his way back to the elevator, positive that Cain wouldn't be hanging around drunks, no matter how pissed she was.

* * *

"I-I'm scared Peeta." Prim whispers into Peeta Mellark's chest as he holds her. The boy had come in to find Prim crying.

"That's okay." He soothes, "it's okay, I'm scared too."

"I feel trapped in here." Prim confesses and looks up at Peeta when he chuckles.

"I may be able to fix that," He grabs the girl's hand and pulls her to her feet, "Follow me, Cinna showed me something earlier."

Peeta takes Prim out of her room and down the hallway, revealing a staircase beside the elevator. "It goes up to the roof." He explains and the little girl's eyes light up. They go up the staircase in silence, Peeta pushing the door open the rest of the way at the top, not noticing how it was already slightly ajar, and closing it softly behind himself.

"It's nice up here." Prim says softly, "The lights are different though." She and Peeta round a corner and then Peeta slams his hand over Prim's mouth, bringing her back against his chest and sinking into the shadows. Ahead of them, sitting at the edge of the roof, is another tribute.

The long black hair and the distinct '2' on her shoulder lets Peeta recognize her as the District Two female tribute. The one that's deadly with knives.

"Cain" Prim whispers against Peeta's hand, having memorized all of the tributes names the day prior. They watch the girl as she leans back on her hands, head tilted slightly upwards, seemingly completely relaxed.

She doesn't know that Prim and Peeta are there.

Prim feels bad for the girl. She had seen how Cato had grabbed her roughly without thinking, threatening to punch her when she didn't see his way. But she could also tell that it happened a lot, since she didn't back down, she didn't look scared of the big boy in the slightest. Or maybe she was just that strong.

Prim's eyes fly to look up at Peeta when they hear the door fly open and slam on the wall. The loud footsteps give away who it is instantly and Peeta sulks closer to the wall. They shouldn't be up here, he has no doubt that the District Two tributes won't follow the rule on not fighting other tributes until the arena. He just puts a finger to his lips, telling Prim to remain quiet.

* * *

"Cain!" Cato calls out relieved when he sees her, sitting on the roof, just like she did back at Academy. She doesn't react to his voice though, not even tilting her head a little. Cato walks over and sits next to her. Tentatively he reaches out his hand and rests it on hers, she doesn't pull away and he takes that as a good sign.

"You can't see the stars here, the lights are too bright." She finally tells him. He looks up at the sky and sees that she's right, you can't see them.

"The quarry lights were bright too."

"Yeah, but there weren't as many." They both stay quiet for a few seconds before he takes her hand fully in his, making her look at him.

"You know what I'm worried about the most?" he asks her seriously.

"No" she tells him. He sits up to take her hand in both of his and looks her right in the eyes.

"That one of us will die pissed off at the other."

"We're both going to win" she says right away and he grins.

"I know that, but this is going to change us, and I need you to know, that I won't give up on us."

"I never thought you would." She glances away, "I know it's going to be hard. But we're worth it." She looks back to Cato and he nods.

"I just had to tell you that." He says softly and they both lean in together, their lips meeting softly and Cato immediately tries to deepen their kiss, but Cain just nips his tongue lightly and pulls away.

"Not tonight." Cato huffs and moves to sit behind his partner, bringing her closer to him. She rests her head in his lap, and for the first time in a year, his hand finds itself playing with her hair on a rooftop.

* * *

Peeta watches the two interact and can't believe his eyes. Bloody, brutal District Two. He takes Prim's hand and slowly they slink back to the doorway and into the stairwell. Once there, Prim is the one who voices what's on Peeta's mind.

"I think they love each other."

**Bahhh short n' sweet. Next chapter will be longer and I'll reply to reviews! They'll be in arena by chapter nine!**


	6. Chapter 6

_**IF YOU DID NOT READ ACADEMY PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:**_

**In Academy, Cato and Cain started out as partners, they hated each other's guts for the first four years. They had to live together and do everything together. Cain dated someone before Cato, he was not her first guy she's kissed, made out with, ext. She didn't sleep with him! The two became…together I guess, starting dated whatever during their sixth year at Academy. Cain refused to sleep with Cato until near the end of year seven. In this story it's slightly AU in that there can be two Victors to the Games. It's rare, but it can happen if they're from the same district! So that's why we're saying they'll come out together, because they can. Oh, and the branding of the names on the forearms is kind of like District Two's engagement ring. That's also rare and done with a flame heated knife tip, they did that year six. So yeah, that's Academy in a nutshell. **

_I look up to the sky_

_And now the world is mine_

_I've known it all my life_

_I made it_

_I made it_

_I Made It-Kevin Rudolf_

"You took my knife! I left it right here!" I gladly turn my attention away from Marvel to look for Cato. I see him shove the boy from Six, who falls backwards onto a raised platform. I huff and start walking over to him. "Where is it!" Cato demands and the scared boy just shakes his head.

"I-I don't know." I pick up my pace as I see a trainer running over and go shove Cato backwards.

"Get a new one." I hiss lowly at him, "Brutus will be pissed if you get in trouble again."

"He took my knife!" Cato bellows, his face inches from mine and he points accusingly at the boy. I use my arm to push his pointing one down.

"'It's not polite to point Mr. Harrison.'" I say, mimic Cato's old Capital manners/interview coach perfectly. He stands up and just stares at me.

"I wanted to fucking gut that lady."

"I know," I pat his cheek, "I did too." I go and walk over to the District Six boy and lean down so my mouth is by his lips. "You're a bloodbath, so stop trying." I whisper and I can hear him swallow. I stand up and see a trainer watching me, I grin at him as I walk over to the swords.

* * *

"After your training sessions, you have press photos. So Cato you need to wait with me and we'll wait for Cain to finish. Remember, you two need to get at least an eight. Nothing. Less." Brutus makes eye contact with us as he says the last two words, and we nod.

Cato and I wait together with the other tributes as Marvel goes down the tunnel and into the training room. As the door closes behind him Cato wraps a protective arm around my shoulders. The air in the room is tense, the only noise are some tributes whispering to each other tensely. Even Glimmer has finally shut up. I look up at Cato's face as he looks down at me. His hand comes up and traces the scar that runs down my face. I know what he's telling me, _it's beautiful_, he also says it. I turn my head slightly so my lips touch his palm and he grins at me. We don't use words, we don't need them.

It's an important moment for us, because we've been waiting for this our whole lives. We were born for this. Born to win, born to die.

"Glimmer Witney, District One." A robotic voice calls to her from the speaker system. She stands up and walks away, not glancing at anyone. I briefly wonder how Marvel did. He should have done well; we'll need one from him to get sponsors for our alliance.

So far it's just District One, and Cato and I. We discarded District Four; they aren't strong enough this year.

I feel someone touch me slightly and turn quickly and see the District Eleven girl sitting next to me, she moves away slightly. "I'm sorry." She apologizes softly.

"Should be." I snap out and Cato moves his finger in a circle over my shoulder, calming me down a little. We sit in silence for the remaining minutes.

"Cato Harrison, District Two." His arm leaves my shoulders as he stands up, but I catch his hand before he can walk away. He looks down at me and raises an eyebrow.

"Honor to your District." I say the first part of Academy's single most important lesson.

"Pride to your family." He finishes for me and I nod, letting his hand go. I think about the last part, pride to your family. I don't have family really, Brian doesn't count. And then I scoff aloud, of course I have family. Terra, Balik, Cato. They're all family to me.

I sit still, not moving, not thinking. I have a general idea of what I'll be doing. Minutes pass like this.

"Cain Halve, District Two." I stand, and then start walking down the long hallway, the doors automatically opening before me and I step through. Stopping for a second as the doors close behind me. I don't like that, it makes me feel trapped. My mind starts to take me back to being trapped in a dark enclosed space, monitors hooked up to me.

It was a fear coping thing they did. I wasn't allowed out of that small space, where I couldn't move, for two hours. Not allowed out until my heart rate went back to normal. I had screamed my throat raw, trying to get out, feeling powerless. I couldn't go into a dark room for days after.

That was a part of tribute training, because not everyone can take it.

I shake my head and walk forwards, stopping before the gamemakers, who sit in plush chairs, eating, on a raised balcony. "Cain Halve, District Two." I say calmly and Seneca Crane nods at me.

"You may begin."

I take my time, walking over to the knives, calmly picking one up. With quick movements, I hurl the knife across the room, the knife sticking perfectly into a target in the archery station. The throw was eighty yards, at least. I go and grab another knife, running towards another target, and then I jump, hurling my body through the air, twisting while I do and throwing the knife, hitting the ground a second later, rolling for a second before I jump back onto my feet. The knife a perfect shot. As always. I never miss.

I abandon the knives then, just keeping one in my pocket, out of habit, and go over to the swords. I grab a short sword and make quick work of the dummies, chopping off limbs. I don't try to decapitate any, I'm not strong enough for that.

I start to go over to the climbing station when I hear one of the female gamemakers. "Did you see her District partner though, I'd do him." I see red and don't think before I act, my hand finds the knife. It sticks to the wall, inches away from the lady's head. I didn't want to kill her, because something bad would probably happen then, but I got close enough. She stares at me wide eyed. My lips curl back in a growl.

"He doesn't do blondes." I snarl at them. I turn on my heel and stride out of the room, not bothering to be dismissed. Cato is waiting in the hallway with Brutus. "Gamemakers are fucking sluts." I growl out and Brutus snorts as Cato chuckles.

"Do I even want to know?" he asks as I grab his wrist, following Brutus down the hallway.

"No." I snap at him.

* * *

"Tilt your head slightly." The lady tells me, and I do. She tells Cato to rest his chin in the crook between my neck and shoulder. He does so, his arm wrapping around my waist as he kisses my neck, my hands go up and behind me, into his hair, and the camera flashes. Cato swipes his arm under my legs and lifts me into the air; I smile and ruffle his hair good-naturally. Another flash. We're acting like a totally love sick couple. And it's so not us.

_Show some emotion. _Brutus had told us. _They eat up emotion. _

Five minutes later they've turning it into some strange porn-like posing. Cato's shirtless, they've made it so that my shirt hangs off on one shoulder. They have us kiss, and Cato puts his hand out behind us, like he's warding off the camera.

A few minutes later I'm sick of it and storm away, Cato following at my heels.

* * *

"Kids scores are starting!" Brutus's voice booms through the floor and I look up at Cato from my spot on his bed. He's been trying to figure out what everything does for the past hour. We've changed the wall scenery, made the bed vibrate- to which Cato said '_That could be interestingly fun.' _ - Cato made himself smell like freshly baked cookies, and even changed the floor color to blue.

Cato looks up from a remote that doesn't have any visible buttons on it that he resorted to just punching a few minutes ago. Surprisingly it didn't break in two. "Come 'on" he says, putting down the thing. The sound of rushing water fills the room and I chuckle. "Fucking remote, now it works." Cato sulks out of the room and I hope off the bed and follow him.

Caesar and Claudius are talking on the screen when we walk in. Cato and I sit down on the couch beside each other, his hand resting on my leg.

"And now what you've all been waiting for folks! The training scores! Now remember, tributes were evaluated in private sessions today and will be scored on a scale of one to twelve, twelve being the highest." A picture of Marvel appears. It's him from the waist up, his arms crossed over his chest, a slight smirk on his face. "From District One, Marvel with a score of nine." A nine appears besides Marvel and I hear a loud whoop come from below us and shake my head, stomping my foot loudly on the floor so they can hear.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Cato murmurs beside me.

"Glimmer, with a score of nine." My eyebrows raise as Caesar says the number. I wasn't expecting that.

"From District Two, Cato-" A shot of Cato appears of the screen, arms over his chest, chest puffed out, his head tilted upwards as he gives the camera a slight half smile. "with a score of ten." The ten appears beside him and I turn, kissing him quickly.

"Good job." I tell him and see Brutus and Enobaria nod at him.

"Cain" Cato squeezes my knee as my picture appears. My arms crossed, a stoic, almost bored expression on my face. Caesar looks down at the card again and his eyebrows shoot up. "With a score of," he looks up at the camera and grins, "Eleven." My eyebrows shoot up in the air and I bark out a laugh as Cato grins down at me.

"That's my girl." He whispers in my ear, not mad that I scored higher than him.

"I threw a knife at a gamemakers head."

"You missed a throw?" Enobaria snaps at me. And I glare at her.

"No, I aimed for beside her, she'd be dead if I had aimed for her."

We watch the rest of the scores, nobody is too surprising until the end. The big kid from Eleven scores a ten, which makes Cato stiffen beside me. The little girl from Twelve scores a four, the lowest of everyone. And somehow, the boy from Twelve, gets an eight.

**Yeah! Interviews next chapter! Then the GAMES!**

**KTstoriesandstuff: **Yeah, bad Cato. At least he didn't get in trouble a second time!

**DreamersChance: **Breeders Cup was fantastic! Though I did want Mike to win the Classic..but he's the all-time leading BC winning jockey right now, so I'll settle for that too. Thanks for reviewing!

**RueEvergreen: **It always amazes me how much space your reviews take up…that's a good thing. And yeah, I like Four too, also not sure how to say Tobias. Guess we'll find out in the movie, bet we're both way off.

**Booberry301: **It's okay! Thank you for reviewing by your phone!

**Sarah'1595: **AHH THANKS YOU! And if u didn't read the starting authors note, it explains there.

**Germany leger: **thanks!

**Miss. Ally Lautner: **Ah thanks so much! I'm glad you loved Academy! And really, I don't understand people who don't love Cato, so he snapped a kid's neck, everyone has faults!

Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, so, I really want to get them in the Arena, so I'm updating now. This is the interview chapter!**

_You can say we're done_

_The way you always do_

_It's easier to lie to me than to yourself_

_Forget about your friends_

_You know their gunna say_

_We're bad for each other_

_But we ain't good for anyone else._

_Come Over-Kenny Chesney_

"Open your eyes." Megara whispers to me and I do. But it's not me who I see in the mirror. My hair usually isn't layered like that, not slightly wavy. But it is now. It looks as soft as black satin too. He's made my eyes stand out even more. The gray eye shadow that he put on has flecks of green in it, making my green eyes seem even brighter, fiercer. My lips are only slightly darker than usual, but overall, I don't look weak. I look strong, I look like a Victor.

He's used light make up on my face, this time; he hasn't covered up the scar that runs down my face. I look down at my arm, somehow, Megara has made Cato's name stand out even bolder. My nails are painted a soft gray as well; my skin is its natural color. Tan, sun kissed from running outside back at Academy every single day. I give my stylist a slight grin of appreciation as I stand up. "Now your dress." He nods to Pepter, who scampers off and grabs the bag hanging by a hook on the other side of the room. "Close your eyes again." I do as I'm told, and soon, I'm being helped into, what feels to be, a short dress. The shoulders are weighed down by something, I notice that as they let it settle and someone zips up the back, which only goes to the middle of my back. "Now open."

The dress is beautiful. It's starch white, contrasting completely with my hair and other aspects. The front of the dress comes up to my neck, but there are strings and beads of gold. They fall over the open triangular slit over my chest, and also over my shoulders slightly. I turn around to see the back is almost completely open from the center of my back up. Only the band of the material hooks around my neck completely, like a collar. I see in front of me a pair of strapped gold stiletto heels. They're about three inches high and I narrow my eyes at them. But I step into them anyways, my prep team making sure I don't fall right away.

"You're gorgeous." Megara tells me as he smiles at me, our eyes meeting in the mirror. I give him a genuine smile.

"Thanks." I tell him softly and his face threatens to break into two with his grin.

"I've never had a tribute from Two thank me before." He chuckles slightly.

"We're not supposed to thank people, we're above everyone else." I explain to him, "But you deserved thanks." I add at the end, explaining why I had thanked him. Megara nods, and then there's a knock at the door before it opens slowly. I turn to see Cato leaning against the doorframe, his eyes running up and down my body. I study him as well. He looks stunning.

Cato has a white suit jacket on, his dress blouse underneath a striking black against his gold tie. The cuffs of the jacket are rolled back, also showing that the inside of the jacket is gold. The sides are compressed inwards, intensifying Cato's intimidating figure. His pants are black and he keeps the jacket untucked from his pants. His stylist ended his look with black leather shoes, and styling his hair the way he always has it. Cato looks like impossibly handsome.

I make my way over to him, instantly he leans down, pressing his lips to mine. "Stunning." He tells me when we break apart. I slap his chest softly and snicker.

"You clean up nice too." He raises his eyebrows at me, "I never would've thought you could."

"And I never thought I'd see you in a dress that short." He motions to my body, I look down, the dress isn't that short, it goes down to about five inches above my knees.

"Whatever."

We walk out together and Cato's hand finds mine. We find our way backstage where Enobaria is waiting for us. She gets right to the point, "You two will go on together second, after District One. Remember, you only have five minutes. Don't give away too much, answer the questions he asks, and try not to look pissed off. No fighting with each other either." She glares pointingly at me and I cock an eyebrow. "Make them remember you." She tells us before turning and striding away, most likely to find Brutus.

"Are you really that beautiful or did an angle fall from heaven?" Marvel whispers in my ear. Cato growls as I whirl around, Marvel dodges my fist as I advance on him.

"GOD I FUCKING HATE YOU! SHUT THE HELL UP BEFORE I FREAKING CASTRATE YOU!" I scream at him, Marvel's eyebrows shoot upwards, hiding in his hairline. " .FUNNY!" I yell, throwing my hands into the air.

"That wasn't a joke princess." Marvel smirks at me as a peacekeeper stands beside him so I can't do anything violent towards him. I take a deep breath through clenched teeth.

"I don't give a flipping shit on if it was a joke or not. Never talk to me like that again." Marvel shrugs.

"I'll get you to laugh before one of us dies," Caesar's voice sounds, welcoming everyone to this year's interviews, "Well, I best be going." Marvel waves as he passes me, scurrying faster as I go to try and punch his back, "Bye-ya!"

I turn around and see Cato has Marvel, his fist around the color of the shorter boy's shirt as he whispers harsh words to him. I see Marvel swallow and nod quickly. Cato nods before letting go and turning to me, offering me his hand, which I don't hesitate to take. I don't bother asking what the thing with Marvel was about, we both just turn and watch the screen that's backstage as Marvel and Glimmer walk out together.

"Glimmer! Marvel! What a pleasure to see you both!" Caesar greets them and I tune out for the rest of their interview. I jump a little when Cato leans into me.

"We're soon." He whispers.

"I know," I smirk at him as we watch our allies stand up and shake Caesar's hand. They file off the stage and Cato and I stand up straighter.

"And now, I know you've all been absolutely dying to hear their interview!" The crowd goes wild with cheers. "Cato Harrison and Cain Halve, the star-crossed lovers of District Two!" Caesar motions towards us with his arm outstretched and Cato and I smile and start walking out, our hands still intertwined. As we come in view of the camera the crowd gets even louder as Cato leans down by my ear.

"I didn't know we were star-crossed lovers." I just look up and laugh at him.

"Welcome!" Caesar greets us and offers his hand, I take it first, and the man who is in all blue this year kisses the back of my hand with a slight bow before shaking Cato's. We sit down in the two seats that are side by side. I find myself between Caesar and Cato.

It takes Caesar a few seconds to get the crowd to settle down and be quiet for us. "Cain may I say that when you came out, I was speechless, you look absolutely gorgeous." The crowd roars their approval and Cato squeezes my hand, bringing it to his lips.

"She's always gorgeous Caesar." Caesar sits back in his chair and motions between the two of us.

"Are you two? Dating?" he asks. I hold out my arm so he can see Cato's arm.

"You could say that." Cato speaks up for us.

"Well, I must say, I was quiet surprised when I had heard that you two were. You don't seem like you'd be together, your personalities seem like they'd contrast." I purse my lips as Caesar talks and nod slightly.

"Our friends said we were bad for each other."

"Then why are you together?"

"Because Caesar," Cato says looking me strait in the eyes, "We're not good for anyone else but each other." I can't think of anything to say, and neither can Caesar, because the Capital is so loud, I can barely hear myself think as I lean over and kiss Cato quickly. A few moments Caesar speaks up again.

"That's, so fantastic. But alas, we can't talk about that all night. We have some other things. Cain, you scored an _eleven _in training yesterday. May I ask how you did it?" I lean forward slightly and smirk.

"That's a secret." I tease and Caesar feigns hurt.

"Well then, maybe Cato will tell me how he managed his ten?"

"I've trained my whole life for this thing Caesar. District Two is gunna be your Victors this year." Cato looks out to the crowd and does a half smile, "I guarantee it."

The rest of our interview goes on, Cato playing the arrogant, strong, fighter role perfectly; as I follow mysterious and deadly. The buzzer goes off and Cato and I stand up, and Cato lifts our intertwined hands in the air as Caesar says our names again.

We walk off the stage and I manage not to trip. I'm heading towards the elevator when Cato pulls me aside, into an empty hallway. I open my mouth to ask him what he wants, but he kisses me shortly before taking my hand in his, digging into his pocket with the other hand. "I was going to ask during the interview, but I decided to make this just us. Cain, I love you. When we make it out of this, I want to know if." He pauses, getting down on one knee before me and taking out an engagement necklace, just like the ones other married couples wear back in District Two.

We don't use rings, because they would get in the way when working with the stone. The one he has is simple. Black granite, little segments, all make up the necklace, one, larger piece has 'CC' carved into it in silver.

"Marry me."

**Ohhhh yeah! You don't know what she'll say, ugh oh, what's gunna happen!?**

**RueEvergreen: **the other day, I was reading a fanfiction, and instead of Everdeen in my head, I said Evergreen…I was like ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. Oh god, and now I'm crying because I read your song/rhyme/poem thingy and it was amazing…I should frame it..

**Cait72: **Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

_Forever can never be longer enough for me_

_To feel like I've had long enough with you_

_Forget the world now we wont let them see_

_But theres one thing left to do_

_But that to weight has lifted_

_And love has surely shifted my way_

_Marry me_

Marry Me-Train

I just stare at Cato. He, he wants me to marry him. Right before we're going into the Hunger Games.

It's. So. Us

"I'll never get tired of you," Cato smirks at me then, "even if I want to puncture your stomach with a double edged sword some days."

"Romantic Cato" I snort sarcastically

"I do try." He raises his eyebrows at me. "You do have to say yes now, I'm pretty sure that's how this thing works." I bark out a laugh.

"This thing?"

."Yeah, I ask you say yes." He says nonchalantly.

"What makes you think I'll say yes?" I smirk, "You are an asshole." Cato rolls his eyes.

"I thought I was a shitface?" and that he remembers the nicknames we haven't said in years. That he's so himself about this. That's what moves me. I bend down, which really isn't that far, considering standing up I only come up to just below Cato's shoulders, and kiss him. His tongue finds mine right before I pull away.

"You're my shitface." I grin down at him, "And your ego is way too huge."

"Is this your way of rejecting me?" Cato cuts me off and I smack him upside the head, moderately gently.

"If you shut up and let me talk, then I'd say yes faster." He's silent for a moment before my words sink in.

"You said yes?" he asks again, his eyes bright.

"Yes." I say again and then I'm lifted into the air, Cato throws me into the air, letting go of me so I get popped up before I land on my feet. "What was that?"

"I was going to twirl you around, but that seemed, overdone. So I decided not to halfway into it."

"Smooth." I breathe out as he fastens the necklace around my neck.

"We should go watch the rest of the interviews."

"Yeah." His hand finds mine and we walk back into the main backstage area. I look to the screen and see that District Five is going up. Once again I tune out, revealing in the fact that I'm now engaged. I don't really pay attention till I hear Cato huff.

"This should be interesting." I look up from where I am, being held by Cato to his chest, to see the pair from District Twelve go up on stage. The little girl appears to be glowing as she takes her District partners hand and drags him over to Caesar as she skips over. The girl wears a soft pink dress; it's all frilly and goes out at her hips. She wears a pair of pink flats, she looks…innocent, young. Her partner wears a simple tux, black with a pink white undershirt and matching pink tie.

"Hello Primrose!" Caesar smiles as he kisses the girls hand and she giggles.

"Call me Prim Caesar!" she says smiling as she sits down and Caesar shakes the boys hand.

"Peeta." He nods at the boy and Peeta smiles. We watch their interview. Peeta Mellark can really talk, he has a way with words and easily talks with Caesar, joking and laughing. Prim just plays a sweet little girl, but in a way, she reminds me of Terra. I share this thought with Cato and he nods.

"She has the same color hair and eyes. Other than that, the body type is different." I nod before I feel someone touch my elbow; I snap my head to the side and see Marvel.

"We're set for tomorrow?" He asks Cato and I.

"Get a weapon and take someone out when you can. We'll get preferred weapons if you come by them or afterwards." I give him the plan again and he nods.

"Yeah." The three of us just stand there for a few moments. Something could go wrong tomorrow. One of us could die in the bloodbath, it's unlikely, but it could happen. Marvel's the one who makes the first move, holding out his hand to me. He doesn't say anything as I grasp his hand and give it a curt shake, before he moves on to Cato and does the same. Marvel's lips go up in a smirk, "I'd say good luck, but you don't need it."

"Same for you." Cato smirks back and he claps Marvel on the shoulder before the leaner boy turns and walks off to Glimmer. I watch as Caesar closes the interview and people start to flood the backstage. I feel Cato take my hand and we make our way into the elevator. We're by ourselves until the doors almost close, when a hand shoots through, stopping the doors. They open and the tributes from Twelve walk in. The boy- whose name I have forgotten- nods to us. Cato growls slightly as he arm snakes around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

I keep my face stoical as Cato presses his lips to the side of my neck. I feel the elevator start to rise as Cato nips slightly at the skin and a shiver runs down my spine. I bite my bottom lip as the other tributes fidget around, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Though I'm pretty sure that's Cato's objective.

When the door opens on the second floor, I take Cato's hand in mine and walk out, Cato following like a dog, as I send Twelve a glare before the door closes behind us. Once it does I turn and slap Cato's arm.

"That was mean." I grin, giving away that I found it amusing.

"Exactly." He growls, his lips finally meeting mine. Cato deepens the kiss quickly and I pull away.

"We should eat dinner." I tell him softly as he keeps kissing down my scar.

"Eat later, fuck me first." I snort at him as he plants his mouth firmly on mine, his hands going down and lifting me up, my legs hitching around his waist as he carries us to his room. He shuts the door with his foot, walking me over and laying me down on the bed before climbing on top of me.

Cato jacket is on the floor, my hand hooked into his pants, when the door slams open. Cato's off me in record time as we both look to see Brutus in the doorway. I feel a strange feeling of my face getting hotter as I stare at our mentor.

"You're not fucking rabbits." He snaps, "Come eat dinner." Brutus turns on his heel and strides away. Cato leans over me again, pressing his lips to mine quickly before vaulting over me and waiting for me. I get up and walk over to him.

"Wait." I tell him and he does, letting me lift up his shirt over his head for him. "Now let's go." I give him a small grin. He understands why I did what I did. Because it's normal for us, back home, he'd eat shirtless, because he's lazy and I didn't mind.

We show up to dinner and our mentors don't seem to mind. We eat in silence, no one really saying anything, just thinking about tomorrow. I sit back in my chair when I finish.

"Any last advice?" I ask, breaking the screaming silence. Enobaria looks up from her plate.

"Don't die." Is our last advice that she gives us. I nod, and when Cato stands up, so do I. Once I'm standing his arm goes around my shoulders, bringing me closer as he leads me to his room. I feel our mentors watching us as we walk away.

Cato and I pick up where we left off, and afterwards, he holds me tighter than he ever has to his naked body. "I love you." He whispers, kissing my cheek. "So, so much."

"I love you too." My lips find his, "Forever."

I rest my head over his heart, listening to it beat. The repeating _thump, thump, thump _is the most wonderful sound I've ever heard. It's strong, it's persistent, it never gives up. How many times did I wish that it wouldn't beat, how many times did I wish this boy dead. A hundred? Thousand? At least a thousand. But now, I can't picture a moment where he's not there, physically or in my thoughts.

We don't sleep that night. We just hold onto each other, saving each moment, each second, until sunlight streams in through the shades.

**Duh duh duh, next chapter is the ARENA! But I almost made a mistake, I wrote listening to Cato's heart beeping. I was like good thing I proofread that. **

**KTstoriesandstuff: thanks! And yeah, I thought they should fight XD**

**RueEvergreen: wow, I can't remember who Marek is…oh well, I'm not going back to check XD And I hope you liked the chapter! **

**RoseMaple: haha you're welcome! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Miss. Ally Lautner: Thank you!**

**Clatoforeverever: thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest: IKR!**

**Secretlyanemonerd: No, I have not read the Uglies..I'll look it up though! Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you liked the chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**And now my friends, we start the Games!**

_Where you go I go_

_What you see I see_

_I know I'd never be_

_Without this security_

_And you're loving arms_

_Keeping me from harm_

_Put your hand in my hand_

_And we'll stand tall_

…

_We will stand tall_

_And face it all_

_Together_

_Skyfall-Adele_

_X..X..X_

The sunlight streaming through the window shines off of Cato, making his blonde hair seem golden. I reach my hand up and stroke his face, he grins at me.

"Don't try anything stupid today." He whispers to me.

"I won't, you use your head." I tell him, he nods before pressing his lips to mine, slowly, gently. We lie by each other, foreheads together and don't say anything. I count our breaths. One. Two. Three. Four. "We should go." I tell him, Brutus and Enobaria will be waiting for us anyways.

"Okay." We both get up, picking up last night's clothes off the floor to put on again.

"Where's my shirt?" I ask as I look around the floor for it. Cato has a habit of just throwing my clothes off to the side, though when he's excited, he doesn't really pay attention to how much strength he puts into it.

"I don't know." I give him a deadpan look and he shrugs.

"Help. Me." I tell him and he rolls his eyes, bending down to look under the bed. You would think it wouldn't get under there, but we've found one there before.

"Oh, found it." I look up as Cato says this and see him stride across the room. My shirt is hanging on top of the open bathroom door, on the opposite side of the room than the bed. "That's a pretty impressive throw." He smirks as he hands me my shirt and I pull it over my head.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Well you don't flatter me, so who else is going to do it?"

"Good point." He both bark a laugh as we go out the door. Our demeanor changes completely. You can feel the tension in the air as we walk up to Brutus and Enobaria.

"Say your goodbyes now." Enobaria snaps at us. I look at Cato and shrug.

"It's not goodbye." I turn and grip his hand briefly and he pulls me in for a short hug.

"See you soon." He whispers in my ear and I nod.

;:;

They order us alternating by gender in the hovercraft to the arena. One tribute for each district. And somehow, I end up sitting across from the girl from Twelve. I settle back into the hovercraft seat and tense immediately.

It's dark and small. So similar to the closet that I was put in for hours on end. The lights that line the single aisle are dim. Marvel nudges me as he sits down. "You okay?"

"Never been better." He raises an eyebrow as a lady comes by and injects a tracker into his arm. I hold out my own and she does the same. Marvel attempts small talk while we wait, but shuts up once I feel the hovercraft rise.

I close my eyes and lean my head back and wait. There's a constant tapping noise coming from across from me and I growl slightly. The noise keeps on going and I crack an eye open. The twelve year old is tapping her foot and looks terrified. I'll give her ten seconds to stop that annoying noise.

Ten. Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Three, two, one.

"Will you stop it!" I snarl out at her, straining against the protector that keeps us in our seats. The girls' eyes go wide and she freezes.

"Sorry" she squeaks out and I glare at her.

"Bitch." I mutter under my breathe as I settle back in.

When the lights go out I know we're nearing the arena. It's pitch black and I try to just focus on the movements of the hovercraft. Slowly we're descending , turning left. There's a large jolt as the pilot makes a rather bad landing before the ramp opens up and peacekeepers flood the inside. We're taken one by one by a set of peacekeepers.

I'm escorted into the catacombs of the arena. Below the arena itself. Though back home, and in every other district, we call this the stockyards. Where an animal goes before slaughter. Only for District Two, we're the ones doing the slaughtering. The peacekeepers keep me walking for a long time, all the way around, constantly turning left. So I know I'm in a circular arena. The doors on my right lead to launch rooms, but they're not marked, so I don't know who is in where. Thresh is behind one door, Cato behind another, and Glimmer yet a different one.

"Here" The male peacekeeper tells me and turns me towards one of the doors. I go in without hesitation and the door closes behind me, leaving me alone. The room is white everywhere, walls, floor, door. No windows, and the metal tube is in the far corner. My launch pad. I look to the other side and see my arena clothes.

Black cargo pants, a short sleeved light gray shirt, and then a tan jacket. There're tons of pockets in the jacket, and an attached hood. The pants have huge pockets as well. I begin to dress myself, finding that everything fits perfectly. As I'm pulling on my first boot the door opens and Megara walks in. He nods to me and I nod back.

The boot goes about three inches above my ankle, but bends well and should be great for running and have good traction. The couch I'm sitting on sags slightly when Megara sits down and puts a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look over at him. Wordlessly he holds out a necklace for me. It's my engagement necklace, which I had given him as my token when he stopped by during dinner while we were alone. But he's added something.

I finger the little piece of metal at the end of the necklace and see it's Cato's dog tag from Academy. I nod and he puts it around my neck. I move it so that it's under my jacket and not visible.

"_Tributes, two minutes till launch." _A voice comes over the speaker system and I stand up from the couch. I pace the length of the room, and then I jog it. The clothes fit perfectly. My hand drifts to the pocket and I find it empty. No knife is there now. Soon though. Soon. _"One minute to launch, Tributes prepare for launch." _ I stay out of the tube though.

I'm always bad in the tube. I get too nervous, too excited. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth.

"I hope District Two wins this year." Megara speaks up and I turn and look to him.

"I do too."

"_Fifteen seconds to launch." _I give Megara a grin before turning and walking to the tube, not looking back as I step inside. I hear the glass slide seamlessly shut behind me. I can hear the blood pumping in my ears; feel my heart beating at a slightly faster pace than usual.

The plate begins to rise and I spin around, seeing a final look at Megara before everything is black. When I come into the open, the first thing I do is clench my eyes shut, the sunlight overwhelming. Next is that I feel that it's warm outside, there is little to no wind and I can smell pine trees. I open my eyes and get my first look at the arena.

Before me is an open expanse of land, flat and grassy, the golden cornucopia rests in the middle of the circle of launch pads, each holding a tribute. Doing a quick scan over I see that I'm set between the boy from five and the boy from nine. They've alternated boy girl and none of my alliance members are next to one another, from what I can see. Cato is on the other side of the cornucopia, I can't see him, nor can I see Glimmer.

I glance behind myself to see dense woods; the season of the arena seems to be autumn, the leaves on the trees all red, orange, or gold. The pines and other evergreens are still green though and I can make out a few. Directly across from me it's flat, then, from just guessing, I think there's a drop off, a cliff maybe that drops to a lower section. It's a few miles off, but we may go there. Another section of the arena is tall grasses; they would go up to my midsection and possibly hold threats. And between the cliff and the grassy field, is a lake. Blue, shimmering water, that apparently is fed by a stream.

I focus my attention forward, onto the cornucopia. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games!" Claudius Templesmith's voice booms around me and I see that we have forty five seconds left on the clock. The supplies are scattered around the cornucopia, bigger packs and weapons closer to the horn. There appears to be things inside as well. I don't need to worry about supplies though, I need weapons. Knives. I scan the supplies closest to myself, figuring angles and the terrain on which I have to run. It's flat, grassy, so the traction should be fine. There's a pack a few yards away, it's small, but I can steal it quickly on my way to the cornucopia.

Then I spot them.

Glistening on a crate just by the mouth is a set of perfect throwing knives. Those are mine. They have to be.

I position myself to run as the clock hits thirty seconds. Deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out.

Jump off early.

Get to that pack.

Get to the knives.

Kill.

Find Cato after.

He'll be fine.

Twenty seconds and I glance at the tributes beside me.

I can take them out.

Fifteen seconds.

I'm ready for this.

I'm trained for this.

I was born for this.

I'll be a Victor.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

I push off my plate before the gong rings, for a second I think I'm too early. I've finally done it wrong for once. I'll be blown sky high.

But I'm fine, my foot hitting the ground a fraction of a second after the gong rings. "Let the Seventy Fourth Hunger Games begin!" I barely hear the voice as I sprint the pack, grabbing it by the strap as I continue on. My feet pound the ground as the blood pounds in my ears. I'm completely off guard when someone slams into me.

We both go flying to the ground and slam down together as I swing my fist, hitting whoever it is in the face. There's a satisfying crack as the boy from nine sits up quickly, hissing at me. He draws his fist back a moment before a spear goes straight through him. I shove him off as his blood gets on my chest, scrabbling to my feet I look around quickly to see Marvel come up from his throwing stance. I nod at him and he nods back before I take off, leaving the pack and reaching the knives.

I get a knife ready to throw before I spot the girl from six running towards a pack. I run towards her, she spots me at the last second, but she's too late. As she's frozen in place my knife lodges between her eyes and she drops dead. As I glance around I get a glance of Cato, he has his sword and has the boy from four cornered inside the cornucopia. I move on, running out as I get another knife ready. My eyes lock on the boy from eight and I take off after him. He's heading for the woods.

Too bad he won't get there.

I run until I'm about thirty yards away, then I stop and throw my knife. It sails through the air and sticks in his back as he falls forwards. I race towards him, jumping on his back before using another knife to stick him through the back of the neck.

I growl at someone as they slam into me, causing me to roll off of the now dead boy and onto the ground. I grip a knife and swing it towards my attacker, but they dodge it, grabbing my wrist in the process and slamming my other arm to the ground. I stare into the face of the boy from five before my knee drives up to slam into his crotch. His body automatically folds in as I slam my forehead into his. I grunt lowly in pain, but it works, his hands come off of me and I flip him over, sitting over him before stabbing him in the eye, listening to him scream. I grin as I listen to his agonizing screams. Jerking the knife out of the now bloody socket, his eye is in pieces as I grind and twist the knife through his throat. He makes a gurgling noise and blood sputters up through his mouth before he goes limp under me. I hop off of him and stand up, turning back to look at the now dissipating bloodbath.

My chest is heaving as my lungs try to take in as much air as possible. My senses are overly alert and my eyes scan the plain. My eyes find Cato, seconds before he swings his sword, decapitating the girl from seven like she's nothing. Glimmer sits by the opening of the cornucopia, beginning to sort through the crates. Marvel is going through weapons, running his hands over the blades, feeling their weight.

I only take a few steps towards the cornucopia when I suddenly hear a snap from the forest. I whirl around and I hear a body hit the ground as my knife flies through the air, lodging into a tree.

"Wait!" I hear a boy cry.

"Stand up." I bark at him, when he does I quirk an eyebrow at him.

Before me, stands the boy from District Twelve.

**I'M SORRY I'M SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER BUT HOPEFULL THAT MADE UP FOR IT! I've just been super busy! I should get to update more often now though! Also, don't forget to follow me on tumblr, I'll be posting a new Josh fanfic on my tumblr soon. It's **_**Mocking-Verse **_

**KTstoriesandstuff: haha yes I was like…maybe Brutus could just waltz on in. I'm so glad you liked it!**

**BooBerry301: haha, don't worry you're still loyal! And the dramatic start is fitting for you. Haha and everyone wants to be like Peeta, well, never mind, I want to date someone like Peeta, not be him, because kissing myself wouldn't really work…yeah…this is awkward now….thanks for reviewing!**

**Waterbender97: Oh thanks! **


	10. Chapter 10

"_People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain."  
― Jim Morrison_

My eyebrows shot up as I glared at him. His blonde curls stuck to his forehead, a layer of sweat covering his face and, most likely, his whole body. His arena clothes are different than mine, being a dark green jacket instead of black. No blood stains his clothes or any part of his exposed skin, and he carries only a small pack on his back. Clearly he didn't go into the fight at the cornucopia, he headed straight for the woods, probably grabbing the pack no the way. I take a step towards him and his body stiffens, my hand finds a knife on instinct. Scared people are dangerous. They make stupid decisions, stupid decisions lead to dead people.

"I want to join your alliance." He speaks quickly, nervously. He's fidgety, his hands clenching into fists so that I won't see their sweating. I walk up to him until there's only a few feet separating us, his body leans backwards, away from mine, and I smirk at him. He doesn't know that Cato and I are experts in reading body language. It's a natural skill, which at the Academy, was only strengthened. I take another step towards him and he lifts his gaze up, locking his eyes with mine. His eyes are a brilliant blue. Though not the ones I love, his are not cold, not ice. Not Cato's.

"Now why?" I bring the knife up and rest the side of the blade on the side of his neck, his eyes widen slightly. "Would you want to do that?" I run the knife across the front of his neck and he involuntarily lifts his head, showing me his neck. An act of submission, that I've forced him into.

"Because I can help you." I cock my head at him, waiting for him to continue. "I'm a good fighter, and I know where some of the tributes headed. And who's allied with whom." My mouth skews off to the side as he talks. That information could be helpful. He's big enough, and he could lift during training. I saw him wrestle briefly and he looked like he knew what he was doing, for the most part. Add a knife and he might be able to do some damage. But either way, he'd be easy to just stab in the back when he got useless.

"One wrong move," I press the blade harder onto his throat, "and this will be sticking through your neck. Got it?" I grin at him as he nods slightly, my words had come out snappy and to the point.

"Got it." I return the knife to my pants, turning on my heel and motioning for the boy to follow. I hear him behind me and wince.

"You're a loud walker." I comment.

"I-I'm sorry?" I ignore him.

"I'm Cain." I tell him without turning around.

"Peeta." I snort aloud at his name and hold my arm up in the air when I see Cato watching us from the cornucopia. Telling him to hold back. Peeta and I walk to the cornucopia, I point Peeta to one of the crates and give him simple instructions to look through it and sort shit. I continue walking up to Cato, who, once I'm in range, grabs my arm and drags me off to the side. I jab him in the ribs with the hilt of my knife and growls lowly, but let's go of me.

"What's he doing here?" His head motions back to Peeta and I shrug.

"He wanted in. Besides, when we're done with him, just stab'em in the back. Easy, he might even be helpful." He opens his mouth to object but I put a finger over his lips. "Hey, let me handle it, I know what I'm doing." His eyes still show his anger as he brings my hand to his mouth fully and kisses it.

"You're okay?"

"I'm fine." I smirk at him, "Bet I got more than you did."

"Loser has to keep watch with Marvel?"

"Deal." He lets my hand go and we both return to the front of the horn, where Glimmer and Marvel are stretched out in the grass, Peeta sitting atop a now empty crate, looking awkward and out of place. We're a few paces away when the cannons start to go off, the gamemakers apparently just deciding that we won't kill Peeta.

The shots echo throughout the whole arena and I count them in my head. _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. _They stop afterwards and Cato and I look at each other.

"I killed three." I say aloud and see Peeta flinch while Cato smirks.

"Four, suck it." I scowl, because I know Cato well enough to know when he's lying, and right now, he's not.

"One!" Marvel states it happily and with way too much enthusiasm.

"I got one too." Glimmer says it nonchalantly, still staring up at the sky.

"Then who got the last one?" It's Peeta who wonders it aloud.

"Wow! You can add baker boy!" Marvel laughs at his own joke and slaps Peeta on the shoulder, who just glances at me in confusion as I take a deep breath.

"How did you know I was a baker?"

"Hey, I paid attention to the interviews!" Peeta seems a little bit relieved that Marvel isn't just some strange stalker at the news.

"Someone else must've made a kill then." Cato says it harshly, his eyes roaming the edge of the forest. "Let's get some rest, Marvel's first watch," he turns and smirks at me, "With Cain."

"Dick" I mutter as I shove Cato, going and starting to look through a pile of weapons as the other three who aren't on watch move into the darkness of the cornucopia to sleep before we go hunting tonight. Within minutes of them going in and falling asleep Marvel starts talking.

"So Cain, why'd the chicken cross the road?"

"Cause he's an idiot." I snap back at him and Marvel laughs.

"No, one, you don't know if it's a he, and two, it wanted to get to the other side." I stop and just give Marvel a 'you're a crazy idiot' look.

"That's not even remotely funny."

"That's the point!"

I don't answer him. I just pick up a short sword that I find and examine it closer. Basically, it's a huge knife, I could work with this.

"Hey Cain?" I look up when I hear the District Twelve boy.

"What?" I ask, he should be sleeping.

"Knock knock." I glare at him but go along anyways as Marvel looks on.

"Who's there?" it comes out in a threatening tone, but I don't really give a shit.

"Nobody you're crazy."

I don't know why, maybe because he says it so calmly, or just because it's insulting a bit, but I first just try to keep it back, a grin coming over my face. Then I can't help it, I burst out laughing.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" There's a loud slamming and I look over to see Marvel glaring at Peeta. "My jokes are SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT! And you just come in here, not even been here for an hour and YOU get her to laugh! I've been trying for DAYS!"

"Well, that's too bad." I stop laughing and just look at Peeta.

"Go to sleep." I tell him, he obliges.

* * *

"Cain." I wake up to Cato's voice. "Get up." I hear the anthem in playing and I'm up right away, walking with Cato to where the rest of our alliance is gathered. The first face to appear is that of the girl from District Three. Glimmer raises her hand, claiming that she killed the girl herself. Next is the girl from District Four, to which Cato claims, telling us that he stabbed straight through her with his sword. I'm proud of him, while Twelve just shudders. Both tributes from Five come up, Cato and I having taken out both, followed by the girl from Six, of whom I killed. Cato claims his final two kills of the bloodbath in both tributes from District Seven, who are followed up with my kill of the boy from Eight. Marvel's kill is next, the life of the boy from Nine having ended today. The girl from Ten shows next and we don't know who killed her. As the anthem ends I walk over and pick up the short sword I had earlier, preparing for the night of hunting. The others also grab their weapons of choice.

Cato has his sword and Marvel carries a spear. As Glimmer goes to get whatever she uses I go grab a regular knife from the weapons pile. "Twelve." He looks at me and I toss the knife to him, he catches it and looks back up to me, nodding and grinning slightly to me in thanks.

I flip him off.

We walk in silence, into the woods, Cato and I leading, Glimmer behind us, and Marvel and Peeta taking up the rear. The arena woods are set in the fall season, the leaves a vibrant red, gold, or orange. You can still make out their colors in the darkness. It's a silent trek for about an hour before I see it. Light. A light of a fire some tribute lit. I take off running towards it at a breakneck pace.

Cato's only a second behind me, the rest of our posse picking up the pace as well, though they lag behind. My hand finds my knife as adrenalin fills my veins. I vault over rocks and branches as I run. The landscape in the forest is full of hills and rocks. Slates of stone are in some parts, forcing us to climb a bit earlier, but now it's just the forest floor and trees.

When I can make out the tributes shape, seeing it's a girl, I let out a loud whoop of excitement, my voice echoing throughout the arena. I find out Cato's caught up to me, just a few feet behind me, when he opens his mouth as well.

When we arrive, we wordlessly form a circle around the girl, who is from District Eight, who is now looking at us, her eyes flickering from each of us, wide and fearful. When her eyes land on Peeta, standing slightly out of the circle, but clutching his knife just the same, confusion fills her features. Glimmer snickers and I shoot her a look; she shuts up.

Cato looks up at me, and when we make eye contact, I slink back into the shadows, circling around until I'm directly behind the girl, she doesn't even see me.

"Well, well, well." Cato laughs darkly as he steps up, twirling his sword in his hands. The fire reflects off the metal blade and it's almost mesmerizing. "What's wrong? Were you cold?" he mock-pouts at her as she nods. "Here's a piece of advice. When you're being hunted, and you know it, grow a pair and deal with it. Fire is like you lighting a beacon and just begging us to come kill you." Cato's eyes dart up to me for a fraction of a second, it's all I need. I lounge out of the shadows, my arm coming out and going around her shoulders, holding her to me as my blade finds her throat. I just press on her throat a bit, letting it start to bleed but not killing her.

"You're not very smart, are you?" I ask her, she gulps, and Cato snorts.

"And that's just what we're going to do." Cato looks up at me and smirks. His sword plunges into her gut just milliseconds before my knife slits her throat at an awkward angle. She doesn't die right away, and that's the point. An ear-shattering scream full of agony fills the silence. Blood comes up from her throat and pools in her mouth. It drips down her face and down her neck as she continues to try and scream.

Cato pulls his sword out of her, causing her shriek to rise to an even higher octave. The blade of his sword is red, blood dripping off from the tip due to the angle he holds it at. There's a blazing fire in Cato's eyes that I've only seen a handful of times as his lips turn upwards, watching the girl die in front of him.

I release my grip on her and she falls to the ground, face-down, still alive, before I jam my foot into her back. There's a sick squishing sound that comes from her as blood pours out her mouth. As I lift my foot a cannon sounds, signaling her death.

As we leave her corpse, Cato turns and takes my hand, squeezing it briefly before letting it fall.

We have more hunting to do.

**So, that was…interesting. Yeah, I haven't updated in a while so I hope you enjoyed that!**

**Ashtera: **Thanks!

**RueEvergreen: **haha thank you! I always love your reviews!

**Sorry to sound like a bitch here, but please review! I got two reviews on the last chapter..only..two. It doesn't really help my motivation to keep writing! Reviews let me know your reading! **


	11. Chapter 11

**You…guys..are…AMAZING! WOW! 13 reviews last chapter! THAT'S…AWESOMELY AWESOME! And because of that, I'm rewarding you with this review before Christmas! And I'm also going to respond now, not at the end of the chapter. So yup!**

**KTstoriesandstuff: I love writing their POV for the Games! Its so..different. I'm so glad you liked the chapter! And yeah, running into either in a back alley would be…interesting…and painful.**

**Ashtera: Thanks for reviewing! I'm so glad you like the quotes! I actually spend time looking for those things XD**

**Rachemma: Thank you so much!**

**Waterbender97: Thanks for reviewing! And I can't really answer your question directly now..that would ruin the surprise..the story is going to..how to put this…get sad. **

**RueEvergreen: That's a wonderful poem! And thank you! So happy you enjoyed the chapter! Cain and Cato's relationship will be tested in the next few chapters!**

**Neete0602: Thank you!**

**Bbymojo: OHMYGOD! That made me laugh for like..ten minutes straight. Oh that'd be freaking amazing, Peeta would try to kiss her and she'd like..slit his throat or something. **

**A-Bookworm-Named-Steph: Thanks for reviewing..wow I almost said updating..anywho, Prim will play a big role in the story, she's up in the next chapter!**

**Clatoforeverever: Thank you for reviewing!**

**BooBerry301: hehe yes I noticed! Thanks so much for that! **

**Sarah: Thank you so much! I'm really glad that I've given you ideas!**

**Guest: Thank you!**

**Maressa: Awww thank you so so sos os so so so much! That means a ton to me!**

**Baboom! So, I'm sorry if this chapter turns out a little short, hopefully it won't though! I just want to get something up for all of you! Also…random question..does anyone know how to lengthen the sleeve of a sweatshirt? Sorry I got one for free and the sleeves are a little short so..yeah..enjoy the chapter!**

_You know I haven't always been this way_

_I've had my moments_

_Days in the sun_

_Moments_

_When I was second to none_

_Moments_

_When I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do._

_Moments~Emerson Drive_

No one dies on the second day, and no one has died since the District Eight girl. It's expected, since we didn't arrive back at the cornucopia until just before sunrise.

But now its day three, and today, people must die. I look up briefly from my spot on Cato's lap at the District Twelve boy. He sits off to the side of our camp, talking with Marvel. Cato seems to read my mind.

"Not yet, maybe tomorrow." I turn slightly so I can look up at him and raise an eyebrow, he explains himself without me having to say a word, "He'll try to escape soon," Cato smirks at me, "wouldn't a chase be more entertaining than just back stabbing?" I grin at my fiancé.

"It would, let him think he can get away."

"Exactly." Cato's eyes lock with mine before they drift downwards, then they widen as his hand comes up and wraps around the necklace. "You wore it?"

"Course I did, Megara put your dog tag on it too." I turn it to show him and his thumb glides over his name and information. "You think I'd leave my engagement necklace behind?"

"You're you; I was slightly expecting you to."

"I'm not that cold."

"Debatable."

"Ass." I smack him upside the head as he chuckles. I get off his lap and walk towards the edge of our camp, my eyes scanning the forest. My eyes lock on a figure crouched in the bushes, and then I scan over him, keeping my head turning like I didn't see him.

I start walking towards him calmly, looking above him, not at him. The boy thinks I don't see him, that is, until my hand goes to my knife. His body instantly stiffens and I charge at him. My arm cocking backwards as he bolts upright and takes off into the trees.

"CATO!" I yell for my partner as I charge into the underbrush. I can't throw in the woods; I'll hit a damn tree. I hurdle over a fallen tree as I chase the boy, who I can now see is District Three's male tribute. His shaggy black hair giving him away. I throw my knife when he passes through a clearing and it lodges in his calf, he stubbles, but keeps his feet under him so he can continue limping away.

I've barely heard the snarl before I'm jumped. "Argh!" I let out a cry as I'm thrown to the ground, claws dig into my shoulders as paws hold me down, and right when I 'm about to thrust my knife into the mutt, I see its eyes. It's a terrible mistake.

His green eyes. I get a whiff of its scent, it even smells like him. Freshly cut granite mixed with the cleaner my mother always used around the house. Its face is hideous. A mix of something between a bear and an eagle, a short black beak and brown hair. Its ears small and rounded.

The mutt's my father. "Cain!" I hear Cato's desperate cry seconds before a cannon goes off. That's what gets me to move, because I can't see who just died. And the longer that I don't hear anything from Cato, the more panic rises in my stomach. My breathing gets rapid as I swing upwards with my knife, plunging the blade into the mutt's chest. Once the knife is in I swing upwards with my fist, it collides with a short beak. I don't really want to know how this thing could snarl, but it did. My hand throbs with pain, but I ignore it, my other hand finding another knife and I drive it into the eye. The tension on my shoulders relaxes and I roll out of the way seconds before the thing drops dead.

I'm on my feet in a millisecond. "Cato!" My head whirls around the clearing as I search for him. Another cannon fires. My eyes lock on the body of the boy from Three, a spear through his chest. _Marvel. _My mind immediately goes to my ally. There's a trail of blood going into the forest and I immediately take off. I should get out of here anyways, because where there was one mutt, there's bound to be another. I charge through the forest, and soon, I can hear sounds, voices, coming from ahead of me. My hand finds a blade as I approach the voices. I stop when I see the scene in front of me.

Glimmer is off to the side, fuming it looks like, Marvel's next to her, cradling his wrist. But it's the other two who surprise me. Twelve is on his butt, leaning backwards away from the tip of the sword that is just centimeters from his face. At the other end of the sword, is Cato, who's covered in blood and his eyes raging. The body of the District Six boy is between them. He's cut clean up the middle, almost into two pieces.

Usually, I'd think that Twelve took Cato's kill, but he's clean, not a speck of blood on him. "Cato." His head snaps to me, but he keeps his sword pointing at Peeta.

"He tried to let him get away, I came here, and _he,_" he jabs his sword towards Peeta, who scurries backwards on his hands and feet to make some more distance between the blade and his face. "was telling him to run!" My free hand balls into a fist, my knuckles' turning white as I glare at the boy, who looks up at me with wide eyes. I see a little spark of hope in his eyes; the knife is soaring through the air a second later.

"ARGH!" his cry fills the clearing and echoes through the forest as my knife pins his hand to the ground. "Please" his beg for mercy is barely above a whisper, but we still hear him. There's the whistle of a blade cutting air before it slices through Twelve's leg, blood instantly seeps through his pants, just inches above his left knee as he screams.

"He can't go anywhere; let's leave him for the bitches with beaks." Cato makes a sound of agreement as I walk towards him. "We should get back to the cornucopia too." I look to District One, who raise their eyebrows at us. "Come on, we should get something around your wrist too."

"Yeah" Marvel agrees.

Just before we leave, I plant a swift kick to the side of Peeta's head, he's knocked out cold.

That night, his face doesn't appear in the sky.

**Short, but at least it's an update. I'm planning on updating before 2013 too! Prim will be in that chapter too! Rue as well! Please review! **

**I hope you all have a Merry Christmas. Or if you don't celebrate that, whatever you do celebrate. And now, I'm off to ice my face..it got kneed by a horse this morning and I'm getting a pretty impressive black eye ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

It's been one week in the arena. Thirteen people have been killed. The last one, the boy from Six, having been killed three days ago. Things are getting boring.

Cato and I are anxious. We haven't been able to go hunting since we ran into the mutts on day three. Marvel's wrist had been sprained, and my shoulder had an inch deep hole in it from a talon. It's still not fully healed, but thanks to sponsors, it should be fine in two days' time.

About two hours after we finish eating breakfast; Cato slams his sword into the ground. "We're hunting; now, Marvel can stay here and guard."

"I can go with you!" Marvel speaks up as he stands. He raises his eyebrows at me and grins. Three days without hunting has made Marvel a pain in the ass, a very annoying pain in the ass. With him, the no hunting, and the fact that Twelve still isn't dead, I'm not in a very good mood. So when I go over to Marvel, take his wrist, and snap it, Cato doesn't question me.

The boy from One lets out a cry of pain as he cradles his wrist. "The hell!" He glares up at me and I shrug.

"Looks like you can't come with us anymore, what a pity." I roll my eyes as I turn back to Cato and Glimmer. "Let's go."

* * *

I'm just stretching my neck after having been running through the forest for three hours when I catch a glimpse of her. A little girl in the trees. She doesn't see us, not yet at least, and is just sitting up there, eating berries. I jog carefully over to the base of the tree she's in and start to climb. There's a sharp whistle and I look back to see Cato raising a brow at me. I jerk my head upwards towards the trees and his gaze follows upwards. Unfortunately, so does Glimmers.

"We got you now!" She calls up, the girl startles and looks down to see me halfway up her tree.

"You idiot!" Cato bellows and he jabs her between the shoulder blades with the butt of his sword. She falls with a squeal to the ground, the little girl jumps to another tree, which causes me to start spewing profanities, and then Cato starts yelling frantically for my attention. _Can this situation get any more out of hand? _When I look down, I get my answer. _Yes, yes it can. _

There's a white fog rolling in towards us from the depths of the forest. Whatever it is, it's not natural. "Run! Cato run!" I yell as I start to frantically climb down before jumping. He's already listened to me and started. We don't give Glimmer any attention, but she keeps up with us. Just as I see the sunlight on the open field, fog comes in blocking us, corralling us to stay in the forest. We turn, and I see Cato suddenly jump, but I'm too late. My foot catches and I go slamming into the ground, instinctively I throw my arms out in front of me, and as my arm catches my weight, there's a tearing sound from the hole in my shoulder. I grit my teeth as Cato spins around to face me. "You keep running! I'll catch up!" I scream at him, he doesn't question me as he turns to go. He knows he has to listen to me, it's what we've been trained, programmed to do.

But the fog comes in faster than I can get up, and I can only see about three feet in front of me. Everything else is white. I try to get up when my arm starts to spasm. I fall to the ground again and curl in on myself as I feel a slick substance sliding up my throat and into my mouth. It fills it up quickly and I get a metallic taste on my tongue. I'm forced to open my mouth and blood pours out. Then screaming starts, it's not me though. It's a little boy.

Balik.

My mind connects the sound with Cato's little brother instantly and I try to call out for him, but more blood just comes up. His screams get dulled and my hands go to my ears, which they get sticky I pull them away and find my hands covered in blood. My ears are bleeding too. But I can still hear him, and then a deeper toned scream joins in. One that I've only heard a handful of times. Cato.

I try to get up, but my arms spasm again, sending me down, so I use my legs. I get upright, and manage a few wobbled steps before I collapse again. I curl in on myself again, clutching myself as my eyes roll back into the back of my head, and all I see is red. And then it's black.

* * *

When I wake up, I don't open my eyes right away. I keep myself still, deep my breathing deep, and listen to my surroundings. I'm not at the cornucopia; I can hear leaves in the breeze, so it's not an open field. That's really all I hear. I can feel I'm on the ground. I can also feel that the pain in my shoulder is gone; it feels as though I could use it. So I must've been out a few days. Though I'm not thirsty, just hungry.

When I hear leaves rustling, I stiffen. I crack one eye open, and I'm surprised by what I see. The District Twelve girl, she's crouched only feet away from me, a strange leaf that I don't recognize in her hands. I stay still, silently watching her, and when her body turns towards me, I shut my eye. I can _feel _her presence as she moves closer to me. What is she doing? Idiot.

As soon as I feel her hand against my face I spring. Within seconds I'm up and have her in a headlock. My left arm wraps around to hold the other side of her head, as my right hand goes in to wrap around the bottom of her jaw, my thumb going in her mouth to keep it open and secure so she can't bite me. Her cry is just a loud wail that sounds like a dying whale. "Shut. Up." I snap at her as my eyes focus on what I see ahead of me.

Peeta comes crashing through the brush, but stops when he sees us, a knife in his hand.

"Go ahead, you try and she dies." I grin at him.

"You couldn't." He snips back at me, I cock the girls head a little to the side.

"I could, and I will. I've trained for this for year's boy. I can do anything I bloody want to." He takes a step forwards, "I don't really have many, physical limits." Another step, and her head gets cocked more. "I mean, I can't clean snap her neck, Cato can do that. I just break the jaw off, it's a slower death, but the end result is the same." Peeta grins at me.

"We're not idiots. Your shoulder isn't fully healed; you try to make a sudden movement like snapped her head and it'll rip again." I glance down at my shoulder, and that's when I feel a knife on my forearm. I take a sharp intake of breath and instinctively let go of my hold on the girl. She falls to the ground and Peeta's weight comes crashing on top of me.

His knees press down on my shoulders as he pins me, immobilizing me. His crotch is right in front of my face. So. Many. Options. I raise my eyebrows up at Twelve and his crease in confusion. I drive my head forwards, but he launches his hand out and stops me before I can hit him. His forearm presses against my throat as he looks down at me.

"Let her go Peeta!" I hear the little girl cry, Peeta and I both look at her, well, I try to. "It's not like she can get away. She doesn't know how to get back from here, and she can't get away with her injury. We're a day's run from the cornucopia, at least."

"But-"

"She needs our help." As she says it, I realize that I kind of fucking do. I don't know where I am, and if she's telling the truth, which I get the feeling she is, I don't know how to get back. And I don't know where water is, and I have no food. Or they could kill me, but if they haven't already, then I doubt that they will. It's District Twelve.

"She'll kill us Prim."

"Hey, Captain blondie, I'm right here. Little kid has a point." I spit out at him and he looks down at me, then, slowly, he gets off of me. As the adrenaline goes down, a wave of drowsiness comes over me. I sit up slowly, then lean up against a tree trunk. I look down at myself, my eyebrows raise as I see my skin is slightly red tinted. "Well that's not good."

"Actually, your skins fine. I washed off all the blood that was on you, I don't know why your skin's that color, but it's not affecting you in any harmful way." I look up at the girl, dumbfounded.

"You washed me off?"

"You're welcome" Peeta speaks up from his spot a few feet away from me, positioned between myself and the girl. I don't respond, mostly, because I don't know how.

That night, Twelve puts up a watch on me. As it turns out, they've been sleeping in a cave at night. So when the anthem starts to sound and Peeta tells me that no cannons went off today and goes to bed, I'm left in the cave with Prim. They have a fire going, and I hold the tip of a knife blade in the flame, watching it turn white.

"What're you doing?" the little girl asks me and I look up, raising my eyebrows.

"Watch." I wait until the blade is white in the fire and then take it out, it remains that color as I spit on it. A sharp sizzling sound fills the cave and I crack a grin, remembering the first time Cato showed me how to do it. At the thought of him my hand goes to my necklace, but it's gone. "Where is it?!" I snap suddenly, Prim looks up at me with scared eyes. "What'd you do with my necklace?" I bark at her. Recognition flashes across her face and she digs into a pack before pulling it out.

"I cleaned it." She says before walking over and handing it to me. I snatch it from her hand and press Cato's name to my lips. "It's your token, isn't it?"

"It is."

"What is it?"

"An engagement necklace, and Cato's dog tags from Academy." The little girl beams at me.

"Congratulations!" I just nod at her as I fasten it around my neck again. "Wait, what's Academy?"

"Where we're trained, for the Games."

"What's it like?" I look up at her and glare.

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

"Just wondering." She shrugs, and we're silent for a few minutes.

"It's hell." I finally break the silence. "We go in when we're twelve, well, when we went in every kid went. Now you get selected. Then your assigned your partner."

"You and Cato? You're…" she trails off and I nod.

"We're partners." I scoff, "You don't get say in who your with, stuck with them. God, I hated his guts till we were sixteen. Tried to kill the guy at least ten times."

"And they didn't separate you?" Prim seems shocked by this.

"No, he learned to fend for himself, if I did kill him, well, that was just a minor inconvenience."

"Couldn't he just go and stay at home?"

"You're not allowed to leave. Only one two day leave a year. I only went the last three years though."

"Why?"

"My parents are dead, my brother, well, not really a brother. I went with Cato to his family's home." I start to take off my jacket; I roll it up and lay my head down on it. My hand finding my arm, finding Cato's name. My heart aches for him, I don't know if he's safe, or what he's doing.

"How'd you kill the cells?" the girl asks, "On your arm, it says Cato on it."

"Burn them. Branding." I fall asleep a few minutes later, gruesome images from Academy haunting my sleep, and Cato isn't there to save me from them for the first time in years.

**I told you Prim would come! **

**Ashtera: **haha thanks. I tried pulling on the sleeves, it helped a little bit.

**Waterbender97: **LOL yes mad Cato is hot Cato. Oh I died reading that. Thank you!

**Nette0602: **thanks!

**RueEvergreen: **..you don't have an avatar anymore…hmmmmm. Oh well. Oh you didn't sign in, nevermind, false alarm…

**G-L-I-M-M-E-R-ESSENCE: **I'm getting better at typing your username! And thanks so much!

**Now remember peoples, please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

I wake up to find only the boy is awake, the girl sleeping on a blanket. I eye her over, how easy it would be, to just-

"Don't even think about it." The boy whispers harshly at me and I look up at him, glaring.

"I have more dignity than that; killing someone while they're asleep, that's weak." We both don't say anything for a while, and I'm surprised by his question.

"How's your shoulder?" I lift it up and roll it forwards and backwards.

"Like new." I snap at him. I glance around the cave, spotting their pile of weapons. It's not much, but I get up to go look it over anyways. "This all you got?" I ask him.

"Yeah." His voice wavers, he doesn't know what I'm doing. But I do. I look through what they have, jabbing knives and swords mostly. Weapons that people with little skill and preparation with weapons can use. I have a knife in my hand when there's a sharp cry. My body instantly stiffens and my head whips around, landing on the girls form. She cries out again in her sleep and my mind takes me back to Academy. Into the Pit, where I'm beating a twelve year old with my fists, as she begs me to stop. But I didn't because I couldn't. I needed to eat that night, and she needed to get stronger.

I see the blood starting to cover her face as my fist collides with her nose, breaking it. I can almost hear the sharp crack that had echoed off the walls. My teeth clench together as I see her on the ground in front of me.

"Get up!" My voice snaps, my hands clenched into fists, I'm vaguely aware that I said it aloud too, just like I had. "Get up and take it!"

"Cain?" I barely hear my name called. The girl won't get up, but she has too, or else it'll just be worse.

"Stand. Up." My voice is low, a harsh commanding whisper.

"Cain?" My name again, and then I feel a hand on my shoulder, and before I can think about it, my fist is flying, and I deck Peeta Mellark in the face. He immediately throws a punch back, but I duck under and swipe my leg out, wrapping around his ankle. He knows what I'm doing, I don't know how, but he does, and as I try and get him off balance he lounges at me. We both topple to the cave floor, and I know he's too big for me. Again I'm at Academy, a boy from my year atop me as his fists come down on me. My arms come up intensively to protect the most important part of my body, my head. His fists just hit my forearms as I block, and as he accidently lets an opening slip, I take it, my fist driving upwards into his neck. The air is immediately knocked out of him as he momentarily loses the ability to breath. His hands clutch his neck as I scrabble out from under him, backing against the wall, eyeing him. One hand goes out and he pushes himself up against the ground, his eyes never leaving mine. "You're physco." He gets out between breaths.

;;;;

The next morning I'm still stuck with Twelve. I'm sharpening my knives when the words slip from my mouth.

"Come away little lost come away to the water, to the ones who are waiting only for you." I'm briefly aware of Peeta and Prim look up, but I ignore. "We are calling in for you. Come away to the darkness, in the shade of the light we are looking for you." My voice is low, haunting. "Come away little lamb come away to the slaughter, to the ones appointed to see this through." I realize now, why Academy seems to idolize the song. It describes us perfectly. Trained to kill, knowing nothing else but that. Deceptive, deceiving, heartless. My blades slide together, making a slick, sliding noise as a beat. "We are coming for you." My eyes are in a daze when I finish, not really focused, just staring at my blades. A new fire runs through my veins. I feel the need to kill someone, get out of here, because suddenly, this arena is just so small. My teeth grind together and I hear a sobbing noise, I look up and see the little girl is clutching Peeta, who looks at me wide eyed. Prim is crying, but I don't care. I lock eyes with her and she winces. Peeta's the first to speak though.

"You're insane." He states bluntly and I smirk at him.

"We're all insane." I don't really know who 'we' are. Me, Cato, everyone at Academy? All those are true, but, really, everyone in the arena is. I get my knees under myself and push up into a standing position, not using my hands so I don't have to get the knives dirty. My eyes lock on a tree and I throw a knife at it, it sticks easily into the wood and I grin, throwing the other directly beside it. I go and retrieve it, I glance at Twelve and see Prim's eyes wide, Peeta hiding his hands behind his back. "How's your wrist Sunshine?" I ask with mock concern, he glares at me.

"Could be better."

"I missed then, if I severed the nerve, then it'd have to have been amputated. What a pity."

"Personally, I like my hand."

"I don't." I deadpan at him with a shrug.

Suddenly, a cannon fires, and my heart freezes. My head whips around quickly, and when I realize there's no immediate danger to me, my thoughts go to Cato.

"CATO!" I'm off like a shot, out of the cave and through the woods before anyone can stop me. I scream his name as I charge headfirst into places I've never been. "CATO!" I'm screaming and crashing, jumping logs and plowing through the brush. I skid to a stop when I reach a dead end, a straight up cliff. The climb would be about sixty yards up, vertically, a fall would mean death. I approach the wall and put a foot in a crevice. I put all my weight slowly on my foot and it holds, that's all I need. I start climbing quickly, scaling the cliff face. I don't really know what's at the top, but I have a feeling this is the drop you could see form the Cornucopia. It's an easy thing to climb, easily comparable to the walls at Academy, but when I'm only a few feet from the top, my foothold gives. I know it's not an accident, I know right away it's the gamemakers.

I dig my fingers into the rock and manage to get a decent grip, hanging from my hands. Slowly, I tighten my core muscles and slowly pull my lower body up more until I'm pushing up on the small ledge my hands are in. I can stay like this for hours, I know I can, because I've done it before, been forced to. But I was in top condition then, now, I don't know how long I can hold on.

"CAIN!" I hear his voice and my heart beats faster. He's close by, over the ledge. I search with my foot for a hold, I find one, but as I put weight on it, it breaks, falling down to the bottom. "CAIN!" he's closer, getting closer. I hear his footsteps pounding the earth. Then stones of gravel falls from above me, bouncing off my head as a shadow, his shadow, cover me.

"Hey babe." I manage to get out as the strain starts to get to my arms. Cato's head snaps downwards and his eyes widen before he laughs at me.

"Need help?" He asks. I nod stiffly.

"Just a bit." Cato gets down on his stomach and reaches down towards me with an arm. "No, f-foothold." I tell him and he nods.

"Trust me." _With my life _I answer in my mind, and notice how now, I'm testing that. Time seems to slow as I use my strength to do one final push upwards before completely letting go of the face. My stomach goes to into that free-fall sensation, and for a second, I doubt Cato, that he'll miss and I'm going to die, but I see him jerk downwards, and I feel and hand grasp my forearm, our arms twist around each other's as I grip him. I glance downwards, and in the forest, barely visible, is Peeta and Prim, I look back up to Cato, who starts to back up. I get my feet on the cliff and begin walking up the wall.

Once I'm over the ledge Cato pulls me to his chest and just holds me there. My hands grip his shirt tightly as I breathe him in. Alive. Still strong. "I thought you left me." His voice is just above a whisper, and I look up, taking his jaw in my hand and forcing his eyes to lock with mine.

"I'm not leaving you. I've told you that." He lets out a breath before his lips find mine, only for a few moments, before he pulls away.

"Marvel's dead, and Glimmer."

"How?"

"Mutts." Is all he says before his arm goes around my shoulders and he guides me towards the cornucopia. "There are seven of us left."

"Really? Us, Twelve, Eleven, and who else?"

"Boy from Four."

"Hmm interesting." I look up at Cato and us both laugh, then he puts his hands on my hips and lifts me up spinning me around.

"We're gunna go home, we're gunna go home, and then I'll marry you." I crack a smile at him and get a knife out of my waistband of the pants; I pat both sides of Cato's face with the flat of the blade.

"Sounds like a plan."

**So, actually, this story has, three chapters left, including the epilogue. So please remember to review, and also, I've published a new story. A Peeta/OC and chapter one I'm really proud of, and I'm pumped about the story, but no one's reviewed yet, so I'm not continuing until I get reviews on that. So if you wanna check that one out *hint hint***

**iLOVEwrestling360: **haha thanks so much! And I really don't mind ranting, it gives me more to read XD. And Cain actually is going to talk to Cato about who she's been with next chapter, as an opening before well, shit hit the fan lets say.

**SparklyTeardrop: **Thanks so much!

**Guest: **Thanks for reviewing!

**G-L-I-M-M-E-R-ESSENCE: **haha yup, I just put it in cap locks and try that way, though I still mess up and then just start swearing to myself, oh well.

**Hidansgirl1234: **thank you so much! That was one of my main goals for this story is to keep Cato as what we know him as, I figured if it was like a girly sweet girl he'd just like, get pissed and stab her….so yeah…I just went with Cain.

**Thanks everyone! Please please please review! ..yes..i'm begging, but I don't really care XD**


	14. Chapter 14

**So, second to last actual chapter of the story. Next chapter we end the Games, after that is the epilogue. So, enjoy this chapter, or try to. **

"Where have you been sleeping?" I ask Cato as we walk along the edge of the woods, scanning the sky and woods for signs of tributes. We'd go in, but that would leave what supplies we have left completely unguarded.

"On top of the cornucopia."

"On top?" I give him a questioning look.

"From there I can see almost the whole field, and the tree line. It overlooks the supplies so that no one can steal any while I sleep really. It's been fine so far, they didn't know we were separated. Speaking of which, where were you?" His gaze focuses on me now and I look away.

"With Twelve." Cato stops dead in his tracks.

"Did you just say you were hanging out with rats?"

"I woke up and they had found me, taken care of me actually."

"Why the fuck would they do that?"

"Cause they're idiots." I deadpan and he smirks.

"Got that right, and you didn't just kill'em?"

"God Cato, I do have dignity, even you wouldn't just turn and kill them after they helped you, wasn't in any real shape to either." I snap out the last part and his hands come up in mock surrender.

"Fine, fine. Let's get to the cornucopia." I just nod, now pissed at him, and lead us both over there. Once there I swing myself up on the first ledge and climb easily the rest of the way up. "Now you're pissed! What'd I do?!" Cato whines and I just roll my eyes.

I'm still sitting on top of the horn, the arena just starting to get dark, when I hear the beeping. My head snaps up to the sky and I spot the parachute coming down. I lift myself up, walking over and snatching it out of the sky before I open it.

"Fucking hell?" I swear when I pull a single cookie out of the container. I hold the cookie in my mouth as I dig out the note.

_You both end this. Soon. –B_

Oh, it was sent for the note primarily. Keeping the cookie half in my mouth and the note in one hand, I make my way down the horn to Cato, who sits by a fire he started about an hour ago.

"Oh look who it is." He sneers at me, I hold out he note for him, taking a bite out of the cookie. Chocolate chip. At least Brutus put some thought into it, maybe. "Well, seems like we have a big day tomorrow." I take the other half of the cookie out of my mouth and offer it to Cato, he takes it and shoves it in his mouth.

"We go home tomorrow." I nod and he swallows loudly, "Pig." The anthem starts to play then, and he leans over, kissing me quickly.

"Get some sleep, I'll wake you in a few hours."

;::;

The next morning, just as it's getting light out, Cato and I are already up, stuffing two packs with food and canteens of water. Our belts are lined with weapons, Cato has his sword, and I allow him to take a few knives, though I take most. A short sword also goes with me.

By about seven in the morning, we're already trekking through the woods. We already discussed our plan before we left, so that talking wouldn't be necessary while we hunted. Eleven probably wouldn't still be in the wheat field, if that's where they went at all, everyone wants these Games to be over with. They'd probably be together as well, seeing as they were always together during training, and they weren't with Twelve while I was there.

If we do run into Eleven, then Cato goes after the boy and I take out the little girl. As for Four and Nine, we'll figure that out when we find them. I keep a sharp eye out as we walk, looking for the slightest movement of the branches, listening for a footfall. I'm so focused on the little things that I jump when a scream rises into the air.

"NO! NO!" Cato and I take off after the sword, he's already pulling out his sword. A cannon goes off moments later and Cato and I freeze. I listen for a second before I hear it. Footfalls. My head swings around and I see the girl from Nine. More footfalls, and it's the boy from Ten.

"I got the girl, you go after him." My words come out quickly, but before I can run off, Cato catches my arm, then his lips find mine. I'm shocked momentarily before his forehead is on mine and he's whispering words to me quickly.

"I just don't have a good feeling about this, meet me in the field, I'll try to get him there. And remember that I love you." His mouth is hidden so the cameras can't see; they can't hear his quiet, frantic voice either.

"I love you too, now go." I push him away gently; our gazes lock for a second before we turn out separate ways. That moment, what I saw, I know instantly will always be branded in my mind. Cato, his strong figure standing tall, contrasts with the autumn foliage behind him, the sun glinting off his hair, his sword in hand. He looks godly. "You won't get far Nine!" I yell out as I see their form retreating, but I'm getting closer. I run through the underbrush, snapping twigs and crashing through branches. I hurdle rocks and fallen branches. And when I'm close enough, my knife comes out and goes soaring through the air.

It sticks in her back and she falls, facedown, into the dirt. "Rue! Run!" She screams as she falls and I jump on her, easily slitting the back of her neck, all the way around as I jerk her head upwards by her hair. A cannon goes off as she dies and I quickly search around me.

Movement in the trees catches my eyes just as another cannon goes off. Rue. The girl's name comes to my mind as I begin pursuing her from the ground. She flying through the trees towards the cornucopia, and the longer we run, the darker it gets.

"The hell?" I curse under my breath, why is it getting darker? I start to get irritated at this little girl, acting like a fucking monkey. "Will you cut it out and face me already!" I growl up at her, she keeps 'running' so I just decide to go for it. I grab a knife to throw and leap up into the air, throwing at the peak of my jump. It soars into the treetops, and seconds later there's a loud crashing noise as the girl tumbles down from the trees. The sky is slowly getting darker, and there's just enough light that I can still see. I jump on the girl's back, she's unconscious, but I'm on too much of an adrenaline high to care as I stab her in the back. Over. And over. And over. The girl's body convulses under me before the cannon goes off, and as I look to the sky, 'The Fallen' appears, with the boy from Four, then from Nine, Ten, and finally, the girl that lies dead underneath me.

It's then when I realize just why they made it darker. They wanted to show her face, because when they show it…her district partner will see it…and he's the only one who has any real chance of taking out Cato.

"Cato!" I jump up and start for the cornucopia as the light starts to come back to the arena. I run until I'm positive my legs can't carry me any faster. All I can hear is the pounding in my ears, the blood rushing through my head. I catch a glimpse of braided blonde hair, briefly; as I run, but I don't really register what it is. All I can think about is Cato. I need to get to him, I have too.

After what seems like forever, I do reach the field. I reach it, and I keep running, even though what I see wants to make me scream and cry and stop where I am and just die.

I reach the field just in time to see Eleven put a blade through Cato's stomach, I reach the field just in time to see my fiancé, my best friend, my world, my reason for living, my Cato, fall to the ground and not move to get up.

**Well, sorry, but that's a bit depressing….**

**KTstoriesandstuff: **Thanks for reviewing! And yeah, she did surprisingly get along with Twelve I thought she could do something nice at least.

**Hidansgirl1234: **Thanks! And yeah, you kinda do bring up a valid point about Peeta…he did kinda piggy back ride through..hmm. I hope you, well, I don't know, was happy I updated, I was going to say liked the chapter, but I'm pretty sure you didn't, really, I'll just shut up now.

**Also, I should inform you that, ya never mind, I will most likely finish this story by the end of the week!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So…this is it...the final chapter of Arena. There will be an epilogue. My thanks are going to be in the epilogue. As will review responses for last chapter. Also, I've been planning for this outcome since I started the story and I've been amped up to write it for a while now. So, here goes. **

There are a lot of things in the world that I can live without: my parents, my brother, shelter, food provided for me, a bed, sheets, doors, running water, electricity, and so much more. There are hundreds of things that could go down in that list. Unless things, useless people.

Cato isn't one of them.

Cato is what I live for, the only reason I have in my life, so when someone puts a sword through him. Yes, I'm going to be pissed at them. Very, very, very pissed. I'm vaguely aware that I'm screaming an animalistic cry as I sprint towards the boy from Eleven, my knife already at the ready.

He turns and starts to run away after removing his sword. It drips with Cato's blood as he runs. I pause briefly to throw, it lodge in his back. Another throw and it's just inches from his neck. He falls at the edge of the forest and then I ignore him, he'll be dead in minutes.

I turn and run to Cato, who still lies on the ground. I drop to my knees beside him and my hands find his face.

"Cato. Cato!" His eyes open slowly, his face is a grimace. Usually, in Games that I've watched, that _we've _watched together, this is when the tribute in my position would beg for their ally or partner to stay alive with them. But we aren't naïve. I know, Cato knows, everyone in District Two knows, the blood pool is tool large, getting larger. He's going to die. I feel my bottom lip start to tremble, I bite it so that it stops and a tear slides down my face. He can't die. _Cato can't die._

He can't leave me here, not alone.

He opens his arms and I wordlessly lie down beside him, so our bodies are flush together. I can feel the warm stick of his blood as it soaks through my clothes, but I don't care. His arms come and wrap around me; I turn so that we're facing each other. I lean forwards, my lips meeting his in a soft kiss. My hand comes up to rest along his jaw line.

"Shitface." I whisper softly to him and his mouth goes into a grin.

"Asshole." His voice is soft and he has to take a deep breath afterwards.

"You can't die until I tell you to." I tell him and his eyes gleam with amusement. "I love you, more than anything, and I'm not leaving you." I have to pause to swallow the lump in my throat. "Kill me." I plead.

"No." His answer is definite, but not this time.

"Life wouldn't be worth it, if I didn't have you with me." My voice catches at the end and he makes a soft shushing noise. "Please," I lift my arm up and hold his name against his chest, "I'm not leaving you, I told you that. Do it, for me."

The look in his eyes is utter despair, because he knows, and I know, that he would do anything for me. Playing that card, he has to agree. And so he nods, and uses his arms to get me to turn back around. Our bodies are flush together again, my back to his chest, like we always slept. My hand finds the knife at my waist and I slip it out, putting it in Cato's hand.

"Do it right before you're about to die." I whisper, barely audible. His answer comes with his lips pressing on the back of my neck. The touch cases flashbacks of the past six years to come flooding back into my head.

The day I went to get my acceptance letter signed by our principal:

_As I come closer to the principal's office I peek through the glass. Cato Harrison stands in front of the principle, I notice the huge cocky grin plastered on his face as the principle writes on his paper. Most likely, writing down leader, as a recommendation._

_Cato's coming out just as I'm going in. The doorway is plenty wide enough for us both to pass without conflict, so when Cato's shoulder slams into mine, I immediately know it was on purpose. "You ass!" I growl as I turn and shove him, he's not prepared, not used to kids reacting to him, and he stumbles into the wall. I don't even flinch as he turns around, his jaw set tight as he glares at me._

_"What did you say?" he seethes through his teeth._

_"I called you an ass, or is your hearing off?" He tries to hit me with a left hook, but I'm expecting it and easily dodge it. "Apparently hearing isn't the only thing that's off." I chuckle at him. With that I proceed to go and let my fist fly towards his face._

More tears come down my face. Our first fight of many that we had. We were such bad fighters back then too, pathetic really. Another moment comes into my brain, when we were announced as partners. How much I hated it, hated _him. _I wanted to scream out in frustration, punch that arrogant grin off Cato's face as he had smiled at me. Another tear falls as I realize what I had thought would be the most terrible thing in the world might happen. Fall in love with him. Well, I did just that.

Our first night together at Academy. He wouldn't stop kicking that god damned bed post with his foot. I can still see the boyish grin on his face when I found out it was him who was making the sounds while I tried to sleep.

The first day of training, we were late. We had to do that obstacle course shackled together at the ankle:

_Apparently Cato's confidence is a weakness because he doesn't wait for me to jump, I recover and we go off at the same time, but he jumped at an angle and his foot slips off the edge as he lands. I barely comprehend that he's falling off before the platform slams into my stomach and I latch on, leaving Cato dangling by his ankle and me feeling like he's going to pull my leg out of its socket._

_"Cain, let go!" Cato calls, I move my head to see him suspended in the air, if he reached out his fingertips would barely touch the ground._

_"No! Get back up here!"_

_"Oh great idea! Just how do I do that?" he calls up to me, his voice dripping with sarcasm._

_"I don't know! But I'm not letting go and smacking my head open"_

_"How about you let go, and I'll turn and catch you."_

_"In hell you'll catch me!" I spit back. I'm barely aware of the laughter. I look over to see the group of older kids has stopped to watch us. Fantastic._

_"You have to trust your partner." Remous calls out._

_"I've only known him for a day! I don't trust him!" I retort back._

_"That's the point of the exercise Halve!" he does have a point there._

_"I'll kick your ass when I get better if you don't catch me!" I call down to Cato, he pauses for a minute._

_"Okay, sure."_

_"Ready?" I ask him._

_"I'm hanging upside-down while shackled to your ankle. I'm as ready as anyone could be in this situation." Cato responds in a smart ass tone. With that I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I release my grip on the platform and hold in a scream as I get the sensation of falling. Then I slam into Cato's body and all the air rush out of him. I more or less bounce off of him and hit the floor with a thud._

More memories rush forwards. Mostly our fights we got into with each other. During lunch, in our room, during training. Our time in the Simulators, where we bonded the most together. Forced to work together.

A faint memory comes back. After I had been forced to run longer than everyone else one day. Forced to run over two miles at a sprinters pace. The feeling of my lungs burning, my throat burning as I retched into a trash barrel. And Cato, standing behind me, rubbing up and down my back, whispering that I'd be alright. He had carried me back to our apartment that night, made dinner without me asking and sat with me while I ate. I had fallen asleep on the couch, and when I woke in the morning, a pillow was under my head and a sheet over my body.

I remember when Academy was reformed. How much harder everything became. I remember the first time Cato kissed me, marking the start of our relationship. It was just after he punched me in the stomach.

Memories of us on the rooftop come back to me, just sitting up there, looking out over Two.

I remember when we branded our names on each other, when we first had sex, when I saw him cry once after he was forced to beat up his own sister in the Pit.

"Cain" his voice is low, faint. "I love you." I grip his hand harder.

"I love you too." More memories, more moments. Our reaping, how strong he was, how bold, how aggressive, how godly, how perfect. Our interview. Entering the arena. The bloodbath. At night, his face illuminated by the fire, flames dancing over his face, in his azure eyes. How he would try to entertain me by sticking the end of his sword in the flames till it was white, and then spit on it. Like it was impressive or something. And finally, how he looked, just over an hour ago. Standing strong in the woods.

His hand squeezes mine and I bring his up to my lips, pressing a kiss to it before I close my eyes. The pain that fills my entire body when the blade cuts through me is unlike anything else. Like fire running rampant through my veins, but it's only for a second. Only a second before it's all gone, all I feel is Cato's arms around me, his breath on my neck. All I smell is his breath. And all I can hear.

Is the sound of two cannons going off.

Together.

**The End.**


	16. Epilogue

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while since I updated. Life's been crazy! My horse leaves to go south for training on Thursday, so I've been prepping for that while trying to convince my mom to let me go down for winter break by myself to see him for a week. But anyways, here's the epilogue. **

After the cannons sound, Primrose Everdeen runs out of the forest towards the pair of now dead tributes from District Two. She runs to the two, dropping to her knees before their still forms as her District partner trails after her. Prim doesn't even try to stop the tears that come down her face.

Peeta stands behind her, a hand on her shoulder, as he looks over Cato and Cain. Cato's hand clamped around the knife that killed his partner. Cain's hand holding tightly to Cato's even in death. But there's no pain on Cain's face, not a trace. Only a small grin, she wanted to die with him.

"Prim." Peeta's voice is soft, and the small girl looks up at him, her eyes wide and wet. "Let's go." The girl shakes her head at him.

"No, Peeta, w-we have to do something." She argues, but the older boy just shakes his head.

"They wouldn't want that." Prim bites her trembling lip, but then nods, getting up off her knees. She tumbles into Peeta, throwing her arms around him. He wraps her in a hug, stroking her hair as she cries. He lets her for a moment or so, then pulls away, silently giving her the message that they have to go now.

They're not even ten yards away when the trumpets go off. Thresh having finally succumbed to his wounds and bled to death.

Peeta Mellark and Primrose Everdeen are announced as the Victors of the Seventy-Fourth annual Hunger Games.

* * *

Six months. Six months until the Victory Tour and there is unrest in District Two. What they witnessed in the Games makes them rethink how they were raised, how their government is treating them. The training Academy cracks down harder on the kids than they ever had before. Harder workouts, more training, less breaks.

And the hallways become filled with whispers. Low whispers, passed notes, secret meetings in an apartment. One by one trained killers start to indulge in the thought of a rebellion, of being free from the Capital.

Students refuse to set foot in apartment that District Two's tributes lived in. Nobody enters, nobody touches their things. But their presence remains. Lurking in the hallways, in the training room, in the cafeteria. They haunt the building. Tributes in training swear that, if you look over quick enough, you can see Cato standing in his regular spot above the Pit, around folded over his chest, judging your every move; Cain at his side. At night, if you go down to the training area and are silent, then you can almost hear the sound of a blade imbedding itself into the bulls-eye, every single time.

The whispers, the plans, the unrest soon grow outwards from Academy, onto those who graduated from the school. Certain people stand out among the rebel supporters in Two. Brian Halve, Cain's brother, is the most dedicated to the cause. The Capital having taken his whole family from him. Terra Hadley, Cato's

* * *

All of the planning comes into play during the Victory Tour, as Peeta and Prim walk through District Two. They arrive early in the morning, going over to get a tour of the Academy. As they walk the halls and through rooms, Prim can't help but see the images of Cain's battered body. How these people had tortured her, pushed her beyond what should be physically impossible for a girl her age.

They witness a trainer whipping a boy for not running fast enough, and that's when Peeta steps in. He grabs the whip from the trainer and glares at him, telling the boy to go back to his room. In the morning they're told the boy was killed for listening to Peeta and not returning to training.

But as the two Victors stand on the stage before the Justice Building, looking down at Brian, and Terra, and Balik, and Cato's parents, that's when it all unfolds. Hundreds of deadly trained fighters start to revolt. Having been standing in sections, each squad having an equal amount of people from each year, with difference abilities together. Weapons, hidden skillfully in clothes, are revealed. Swords, knives, machetes, tridents.

District Two starts a rebellion that sweeps through the Districts like a wildfire. They become the focal point of the rebellion, along with help from District Thirteen, who reveals themselves after District Two's initial revolt.

Cato and Cain become the faces of the rebellion. Propaganda videos are aired of the two. Clips from security cameras, from their Games. People who knew they talking of them. Brian, saying that his sister was the strongest person he had, and will, ever know. Balik, telling stories of how Cato always took care of him, always took time to be his big brother when he could. Rebel leaders wonder what they could've gotten if they had been allowed to live. Kids, as young as twelve, come on screen to show their scars from Academy, to tell tales so twisted with torture and cruelty that they couldn't have made it up on their own.

Footage of Cain's skin literally being ripped off her back, layer by layer, is shown in graphic detail.

It takes almost a year, but the rebels prevail; overthrowing the Capital and earning their freedom. A new government, a democracy, is put into place, General Paylor put in as the head. One person is elected in each District to lead them, reporting to Paylor frequently. Gloss from One. Brian Halve from Two. Beetee from Three. Finnick Odair from Four. Nicka from Five. Ira from Six. Blight from Seven. Woof from Eight. Parker from Nine. Chief from Ten. Chaff from Eleven. Gale Hawthorne from Twelve. The twelve attend meetings in the new capital from time to time. The tension between Gale and Brian could be cut with a knife.

Peeta Mellark still has his nightmares. Sees all their faces every night. Usually he relives his fights with Cain, only in his dreams, she wins, and she has a knife. But he does find happiness. He gets Katniss to fall in love with him.

Primrose turns out a little bit better. Having not killed someone herself during the Games. She still sees them. Mostly Cato and Cain. And Rue. She tries not to scream as much, but it's hard. She turns to Rory for comfort, and Haymitch becomes a surrogate father, though he'd never admit it.

A statue in built of District Two's final tributes in Two. A gold statue of the two. Cato, standing tall and strong. His expression is unforgiving as his gaze is locked forwards. His arm is wrapped around Cain's waist. She is looking up at him, a small smirk on her face. They are the definition of what a Career should be, pure beauty and power.

On the platform of the statue, there are three pictures. On the left, is a shot from the security camera atop of Academy. The building was left standing, having been turned into a museum. Cato and Cain are on the roof, Cato, leaning back on one hand, the other in Cain's hair as her head rests in his lap. Only their silhouettes are visible against the quarry lights.

The picture on the right is almost a replica of what the statue is, only Cato's ducking his head down, pressing a kiss to Cain's temple. It was taken before they boarded the train to the Capital for their Games.

And the center picture, the largest of the three, is the two right before death. Both lying on the ground, Cato's hand clenched around the knife. Three seconds later he would thrust it into Cain to kill her.

Above the picture is a quote. 'I'm not leaving you, I told you that.'

More writing on the bottom:

_Here lies the final tribute partners of District Two. Tributes of the Seventy Fourth Hunger Games. Forced together to be trained in the art of killing and survival, the two were together every day for six consecutive years. They gave up their lives for each other. May they be honored, revered, and bring pride to all of Panem for the rest of time. May they rest in peace together. _

_Cato and Cain Hadley. _

Because they're statue, is also a grave.

**Hope you enjoyed the story. That's the official ending. Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorite! It means the world to me!**

**Stark-Lannister: Thank you so much for reviewing! Sorry bout killing them both..**

**Guest: Whoever you are, this goes for all the guests, thank you so much! You're reviews were truly some of the best and always were inspiring!**

**Tiffanymdavis94: you guessed it!**

**Hidansgirl123: Thanks so much! I always love your reviews!**

**Angel2u: boom, plot twist!**

**AbbyMellark21: Sorry! Thanks for reviewing though!**

**RoseMaple: haha your review made me laugh! Thanks so much though! I'm sorry you've lost your mind too, that's never really a good thing.**

**A-Bookworm-Named-Steph: Thank you so much!**

**KTstoriesandstuff: Thanks!**


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